Series


Return of the Duct Tape Bandit

Or a Duct Tape Bandit, at least. It’s probably another copycat. WCAX in Burlington, Vermont, where it’s currently a balmy -29 degrees counting wind chill, reports that police in Barre City are looking for a man who held up the North End Deli…


May a Magistrate Judge Ethically “Dance With the Stars”?

Yes, according to South Carolina's Advisory Committee on Standards of Judicial Conduct: FACTS A full-time magistrate inquires as to the propriety of dancing in a fund-raising event that is similar to a popular television show ("Dancing with the Stars"), in…


Official State Crap: Colorado

Official state flower: The white and lavender columbine. Actually, the identity of the Colorado state flower is not entirely clear. Section 24-80-905 does say it's "the white and lavender columbine," but that turns out to be a description, not a…




Official State Crap: Connecticut

Official state tree: the white oak (Quercus alba). Official state mineral: garnet, which is highly abrasive. Official state insect: the praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) (a scientific name I did not make up). Official state bird: the American robin (Turdus migratorius) (same…


Official State Crap: California

Official state nickname: The Golden State. Official state mineral: gold. Official state motto: "Eureka" (Greek for "I have found it," the "it" in this case probably being gold). Official state flower: the golden poppy. Official state colors: gold (also blue)….


Classifying a Killer Whale for Tax Purposes

That's the title of this short video (1:13) in which Professor Jeff Karlin of Golden Gate University explains that the IRS distinguishes between killer whales and great white sharks, although both are big giant swimming things that could potentially eat…