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Brickbats: November 2021 – Opinion

Kentucky Jefferson County Public Schools was sued by the family of a 6-year-old girl who was being dragged 1,147ft on a school bus. This happened in 2015. As she was walking away, her backpack became caught on the bus door. She did not exit safely as instructed by her driver training. The driver didn’t watch and only realized that the issue when a neighboring car started to honk its horn.

Scott Morrison, Australia’s Prime Minister, has declared that his country will reopen its borders and eliminate lockdowns if 80 percent have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Only 18% of the country’s population was fully immunized against the virus as of August. This is one of the lowest rates of vaccination among the developed countries. To enforce the lockdown, soldiers were sent to Sydney by the government.

Beginning in 2022 bacon and other pork products might be hard to come by in California. This is when the state regulators will begin to enforce a 2018 animal welfare law. This law stipulates that pigs and eggs-laying hens must have sufficient space. Although egg and veal producers claim they must be able meet these requirements, only 4 percent of all pig farmers in the country currently offer the required space. California will not allow any farm to produce pork that doesn’t comply with these requirements.

China’s Ministry of Culture has banned some songs from karaoke bars. The agency stated that karaoke bars should remove songs that could “endanger national unity and sovereignty, territorial integrity or national security, honour or interests”, or incite ethnic hatred. It stated that only healthy songs should be performed.

Two police officers were charged in South Africa with kidnapping and obstructing the justice system. According to reports, the two grabbed an unarmed man from the street in order to free a prisoner who was being held for theft and had fled their custody.

Gold Coast officials in Australia have issued a $1,300 ($960) fine to a woman for breaking her hotel quarantine and having cigarettes delivered by drones to her balcony. For violating safety flying rules, the operator of drone could also face a fine.

French justice authorities have fired Olivier Bailly. He was the vice-president of Dijon’s family law court. Bailly admitted uploading a photo his 12-year old daughter to a swingers website, and then offering him sex. Bailly is a swinger, as well his wife who is also a judge. Bailly stated that he suffers from post-traumatic Stress Disorder since his role as prosecutor in the case against a serial killer and rapist. Bailly claims that he didn’t intend to arrange the sexual abuse of his child. If convicted, he could spend up to 10 years prison for corrupting minors and inciting pedophile crimes.

Michael Martinez, a former officer in the Miccosukee police department, has been sentenced for 10 years. He was convicted on two counts each of extortion as well as two counts unlawful compensation. Martinez pulled Remy Riley and Kyle Shoulta, then 18 years old, over after Shoulta had run a red light. Martinez refused to arrest the couple, even though they were carrying alcohol and pot in their cars. He instead ordered the couple to follow him to some remote location and told them to get out of all their clothes before they ran.