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Recent Blog Posts
Filner’s sexual harassment debacle
While the rates of sexual harassment have fallen in recent years, it is still a pervasive problem, especially in the workplace. Scandals such as the recent call for the resignation of San Diego Mayor Bob Filner remind us that the problem is not going away by itself, and that the harassment can hurt more than … Read More
Human trafficking charges brought against Saudi princess
A Saudi princess was charged on Wednesday with human trafficking after a Kenyan woman escaped from a condominium where she said she was being held against her will. The 30-year-old Kenyan woman said that she had been hired in Kenya in 2012, taken to Saudi Arabia, and promptly had her passport taken away from her. … Read More
Retail sale of dogs and cats banned in San Diego
It is a sad reality that once again free enterprise is being controlled, as proponents have prevailed in the argument that far too many businesses that breed animals have in the process exploited small pets. Perhaps if there had been adequate self-regulation, fewer critics would have gained notoriety and prevailed in their narrative. It seems … Read More
Court finds that tax evasion convictions show moral turpitude
After veterinarian John Cottingham pled guilty to two felony charges relating to failure to pay payroll taxes, he faced professional disciplinary charges from the South Carolina Board of Veterinary Examiners. The board’s charges included a reprimand and fine, among other penalties. Cottingham appealed the discipline, saying that the board had exceeded its authority. Cottingham had … Read More
Female inmates sterilized without approval
The Center for Investigative Reporting has found that almost 150 women were sterilized by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation between 2006 and 2010 without state approval. Former inmates and prison staff both say that patients were coerced into being sterilized, and those who were targeted were often pregnant, and were those deemed likely … Read More
Killing of pit bull sparks controversy
Pit bulls are known as dangerous, unpredictable dogs, so when a San Diego man admitted to shooting one, it sparked a debate. Lee Pattison, a 24-year-old Navy diver, was on the sidewalk when he said that a pit bull across the street broke loose from his tether and attacked his Husky dog, Bolt. Pattison said … Read More
2.5 million put at risk from security breaches in 2012
There were about 130 breaches of consumer data in California in 2012, according to a recent report. This put about 2.5 million people at risk. The area that had the most breaches was the retail sector, with financial institutions and insurance providers following on the list. Personal data being compromised is not only newsworthy but … Read More
Physician charged with unprofessional conduct
A Tennessee physician was arrested for DUI and charged with unprofessional conduct. Ernest Kleier was unhappy with the state Medical Board Decision that took action against his license for a DUI. He argued the charge of unprofessional conduct was constitutionally vague because it did not spell out what “unprofessional, dishonorable, or unethical conduct” meant. On … Read More
Former Marine accused of killing girlfriend in Panama
The disappearance of 42-year-old Yvonne Baldelli took a twist on Thursday when her boyfriend was accused of murdering her, then concocting an elaborate cover-up. He allegedly sent fake emails from her account, telling her family that she was having a great time, and he withdrew money from her bank account. Brian Brimage, a 37-year-old former … Read More
Supreme Court strikes down Defense of Marriage Act
Today, the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act in a 5-4 vote, saying it is unconstitutional. “By seeking to displace this protection and treating those persons as living in marriages less respected than others, the federal statute is in violation of the Fifth Amendment,” Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote. Justice Antonin Scalia wrote … Read More