Quote of the Week:
“Home is now behind you, the world is ahead!” –Gandalf in The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien
Fact of the Week:
In 2003, Curb Your Enthusiasm saved a man from wrongful conviction of a murder. Juan Catalan was accused of shooting a 16-year-old girl, but through a series of extremely fortunate events, he and his lawyer found evidence to prove his innocence.
The girl, Martha Puebla, had testified against Catalan’s brother and her ex-boyfriend in court for two murders. Just days after the testimonial, she was shot on her doorstep. The sole eyewitness fled the scene for his life, but dropped his cell phone in the process. Police found the cell phone and tracked it to him, where he provided a description of the murderer that seemed to match Juan Catalan. Unable to provide an alibi, Catalan was put in custody for months.
Catalan tried to remember where he’d been that May day when the murder was committed, but it was his girlfriend who eventually remembered. She recalled that he had been at a Dodger’s game that night with their six-year-old daughter. She found the tickets and provided them, but prosecutors said there still wasn’t enough evidence to free Catalan. Catalan’s lawyer proceeded to look through the stadium’s footage and found a blurry image of his client, but it wasn’t clear enough for the judge or prosecutors.
Then Catalan remembered: HBO had been filming his section of the stands for an episode in season seven of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Catalan’s lawyer acquired the footage, and there, in the stands with his daughter, was Catalan. After cellphone records supported this evidence, Catalan was finally let go (the murderer was later caught). His life was spared through an enormous amount of luck as well as skill by his lawyer, who hopefully received a hefty salary increase after that particular good bit of sleuthing.
Innocent Project contributed to this article.
News Update: University of Idaho Warns of Firings, Felonies for Discussing Abortion
Via The University of Idaho
The University of Idaho sent a memo to its staff, warning that they may be fired and/or face misdemeanor or felony charges for engaging in discussion or providing services relating to abortion.
According to ABC News, “The university told staff they cannot take any action, use or provide institution funds or facilities to: promote abortion; provide or perform an abortion; counsel in favor of abortion; provide referrals for abortion; provide facilities for an abortion or for training to provide an abortion; dispense emergency contraceptives (except for cases of rape); contract with abortion providers; or advertise or promote services for abortion or for the prevention of conception, the Idaho Press reported citing an email it said it had obtained.”
The school claims it provided this guidance so as to act within the law after the state of Idaho banned nearly all abortions starting August 25th, except in the case in which a mother’s life is threatened.
If discussion between staff and students carries to the topic of abortion, staff have been instructed to tell the students they are prohibited by Idaho law from counseling in favor of abortion, according to the memo cited by Idaho Press. Staff are allowed to provide condoms to students (by making them available in student dormitories or through other similar methods) so long as it is with the intention of preventing STDs, not for the purpose of birth control.
ABC News and Idaho Press contributed to this article.
Sports Update:
Via Sportskeeda
Eli Manning is going to play football at Penn State. Okay, not actually, but he did head undercover to Penn State for the walk-on tryouts. While head coach James Franklin knew it was Eli under the makeup, long-haired wig, and enhanced nose, the rest of the coaches and players did not.
This sort of stint has been done before—Jared Goff went undercover as a potential transfer to Ventura College—but it’s always fun to see a top caliber player step onto the field with unsuspecting teammates for the day. Eli went under the name Chad Powers, and much like his real self, played the role of a goofy guy. While running the 40 meter dash, he said out loud to himself, “Think fast, run fast. Think fast, run fast.”
“I didn’t know I was going to have to run a 40, or do a 5-10-5 and broad jump and all these things,” he said after the stint. “I’m saying, ‘Think fast, run fast,’ but I’m thinking, ‘Don’t pull a hammy. Don’t go all out on this.’ I still got to make it through the rest of the workout and do the throwing and do all the quarterback drills.”
To check out the whole video, click the link:
Want to win 50% off Last Cup Scaries’ Fire Island t-shirt? DM the correct answer of this riddle to lastcupclothing on Instagram, and if you’re the first person to respond correctly, we’ll send you a code! Previous winners are excluded.
In keeping with our The Hobbit quote, this week's riddle is:
What has Baggins gots in his pockets?
With Eli at the helm we would’ve won the national championship this year