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June 03, 2005
An Allergic Reaction to Stupid Lawsuits?
This morning when I was listening to the radio, I heard a story about a local man suing over inappropriate Taser usage. I went and looked up the story at the St. Louis Post Dispatch. The description of the incident is quite strange.
Days before the event, [David] Lash, a construction worker, suffered a job-related injury in which he lost a quarter of his right index finger, the suit says.About 3 a.m. on Jan. 11, he suffered an allergic reaction to medication at his stepdaughter's house, the suit says, and his son, David Lash Jr., came to the house to restrain him, said Lash's attorney, Stephen Wyse.
Since when does an allergic reaction to medication make it necessary to restrain someone? What, were they trying to stop him from scratching himself? (After all, as Mom always says, “scratching it just makes it itch more.”)
In all seriousness, I suspect it was most likely some other sort of bad reaction (I hate it when the word allergic is tossed around like that) to a medication, probably one of the psychiatric sort, or else that’s just some sort of weird excuse.
Lash Jr. had his father pinned to the floor when Moberly police arrived, Wyse said. When Lash Sr. moved his shoulder, two officers, whose names are not given, shot both the father and the son with a Taser, the suit claims.Then, after Lash Jr. was taken to another room, the officers continued administering the shocks to Lash Sr., kicked him in the groin and neck, reinjured his finger and caused him to lose two front teeth, the suit says.
"Reinjured his finger?" So did he lose the previously reattached portion of his finger, or did a new quarter fall off?
"I'm an ex-cop, and I'm familiar with the use of force and when it's necessary and when it's not, and they had no reason to use force here," [Stephen] Wyse [Lash's attorney], said. "They had no reason to start Tasering his son and him."
I’d be interested to see what the officers’ version of events is. However, if the guy was going so crazy that his son had to drive over, restrain him, and call the cops, it seems likely that they did indeed have a reason to start tasering him. I wonder what injuries Lash Jr. and the police officers sustained at the hands of Lash Sr.
After the officers put a stranglehold on Lash Sr., he began to vomit, and an ambulance was called to take him to the hospital, Wyse said.At the hospital, he was unconscious for most of 10 days, Wyse said. He suffered kidney failure, and he received dialysis treatments for two months, Wyse said.
Hmm. I searched all over and couldn’t find any connection between Taser guns and kidney failure. People who claim Taser guns are dangerous seem to think they can cause damage to the heart, lungs, or skin, not the kidneys.
Again, I wonder what drug he had an “allergic reaction” to and what other side effects it has. What other medical problems does he have? Could something else have caused his kidney failure and/or hospitilization?
Not only does the lawsuit seek unspecified damages from the police department, it also seeks to cash in on $5 million from Taser International Inc. because “Taser, the police department and other defendants failed to train the officers properly.”
I didn’t know that Taser was responsible for ensuring the training of every single officer who uses their product. Does anyone more familiar with this subject know if similar tactics have been used against gun manufacturers?
It could turn out differently, but it certainly seems like a frivolous lawsuit so far.
Posted by illuminaria at 02:38 PM | Comments (1)
Teachers Not the Only Ones in Short Supply
Schools are also having a hard time finding people who are willing to drive 40 mostly badly behaved children around for $10 an hour.
Henrico County [Virginia] has 24 full-time bus drivers, plus 20 supervisors and others pulled in to cover routes, transportation supervisor Harold Grimes said. The average driver turnover is between 10 percent and 13 percent a year; there are now 23 driver vacancies.Grimes said that besides balking at the starting salary of $13,920, or $10.69 an hour ($14,153 annually and $10.87 hourly for the upcoming school year), potential bus drivers also consider the responsibility involved, especially after recent bus accidents and violent incidents on buses.
"They're in charge with those children," Grimes said. "Plus it's hard to watch for the traffic. When it's added together, people say, 'Whoa, why am I trying to do this?"'
Virginia has had two fatal accidents this year -- a teenager was killed in February and last month two children died after their bus collided with a truck. And in Tennessee, a 14-year-old was charged with fatally shooting bus driver Joyce Gregory in March because he "hated her," according to a recorded statement played in court.
Earlier this month, a security camera on a school bus in Punta Gorda, Florida, captured a fight between a substitute driver and two teens. The driver was charged with misdemeanor battery and the teens with assault.
Behavior problems that affect teachers also affect everyone else who comes into contact with the kids.
At the end of the article, someone puts the blame where it belongs.
Megan Williams, a mother of four, thinks potential bus drivers don't want to put up with disrespectful children, for which she blames parents."I am part of the problem. I have four boys. They are the kind that don't sit still and say, 'Yes, ma'am, no, ma'am,"' Williams said. "I drive my van with my four kids in it and that's enough. I can't imagine a bus full of them."
Er, ok... At least she's not in denial.
Posted by illuminaria at 01:35 PM | Comments (1)
Recent Poll Numbers on Hillary Clinton
The recent numbers on Hillary Clinton at CNN are interesting
More than half of those responding to a new poll said they would be at least somewhat likely to vote for Sen. Hillary Clinton if she runs for president in 2008.But those saying they are virtually certain to vote against her topped those virtually certain to support her by 10 percentage points in the CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll.
The poll found 29 percent were very likely to cast a vote for Hillary Clinton for president and 24 percent said they were somewhat likely.
Seven percent were not very likely and 39 percent said they were not at all likely. The margin of error was plus or minus 5 percentage points
Some note that
Clinton commands as much strong support as George W. Bush did in a Newsweek poll in November 1998, two years before the 2000 election, though also more strong opposition.
The amount of strong opposition is going to be a big obstacle for a presidential run. I think the Democrats would be foolish to immediately nominate her without considering that factor.
CNN also notes that there is “overwhelming support” (67%) among her New York constituents. However…
Among Democrats [] 65 percent surveyed want her to pledge to serve out a full term if she runs, negating a 2008 White House bid.
Given that, this next piece of news is interesting.
Senator Clinton is believed to be ready to drop a pledge to serve a full six-year term when she seeks re-election as senator for New York next year.This will be the clearest sign of her intention to run for the White House, since she pointedly told New York voters in 2000 that she would not curtail her term in order to try for the presidency.
The official line from her advisers is Senator Clinton is keeping options open. But The Washington Post reported: "In 2000, she repeatedly pledged that she would finish her term without seeking the presidency. Aides say she will not issue such a pledge this time."
So it isn’t confirmed yet, but then again if she were going to issue the pledge you’d think they’d just say that she was.
It still amazes me that so many of our politicians, on all sides, are spending the majority of their time campaigning for other offices rather than doing their jobs. If anyone else spent 4 hours at work every day working on hig resume and reading the classifieds, he'd get fired for sure. But I suppose that’s just the way it is.
While New York Democrats want her to pledge to serve a full term, I doubt that her not doing so will prevent her from winning the 2006 senate run. I often read stories about so-and-so considering running against her, but no good candidates are coming to the forefront. I am sure she will win re-election. The White House is not at all a certainty though.
Back at the CNN article, I enjoyed this quote from her
"My view is that life unfolds in its own rhythm. I've never lived a life that I thought I could plan out."
Yeah, that’s believable. Hillary Clinton reads like she has a detailed 500 page manuscript of her future, including sketches of the clothes she plans to wear to each inauguration, as well as her carefully considered last words.
In other news, Newsday manages to print the stupidest opening line to a story that I’ve ever heard.
Conservatives may strive to portray New York Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton as a polarizing figure, but she unified Hollywood Democratic political donors at a series of fundraisers that netted an estimated $1 million in a single evening, hosts estimated Thursday.
Imagine that! A politician unifying political donors at her fundraiser? That'll show those conservatives.
(Check out the Hillary Watch catagory for more stuff Hillary Clinton has been up to.)
Posted by illuminaria at 01:14 PM | Comments (0)