Is There A Better Argument for Dram Shop Law Than a Fatal Crash With a Drunk Bartender?

Anyone who has spent time sitting at a bar may have seen its tender have a few drinks. Sometimes it's just a beer over the course of a shift, and other times she takes a few shots in a row with a group of regulars. Most bartenders know and maintain their limits like professionals (if...

New Data Shows Houston Leads the Nation in Distracted Driving

All the major Lone Star cities see their share of DWI injuries and fatalities every year, but as I've noted, Houston is the undisputed state champ in that department--not that the crown is anything to covet. Not content with that infamy, Houston apparently grew even more ambitious. Thanks to information recently put out by a...

Seeing the Signs: How We Spot Possible Dram Shop Accidents

Drunk driving appears to be a blind spot in our national consciousness. I cannot think of a single person, no matter how contrarian, who could compellingly argue that this practice has positive benefits. It's dangerous, it's illegal, and it flies in the face of common sense. I doubt I need to be worried about some...

Brawl in the Mall: An Outbreak of Holiday Violence

I want to look at at an interesting phenomenon that happened on the day after Christmas: On December 26, over a dozen shopping malls suffered large-scale melee brawls on their premises. Boxing Day Mall Brawls December 26th is often a crowded day at the mall; shoppers have an extra day off and no specific plans,...

The Cost of Belonging: Hazing Injuries and the Law

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." So said Lord John Dahlberg-Acton in the 19th Century. Of his varied and highly-quotable commentaries as a historian and politician, this is the one that best stuck with us as a society. When placed in a position of absolute authority over their peers, people will almost...

Bayer Plans to Buy Monsanto, Anti-GMO and Anti-Vax Go Crazy(er)

The pharmaceutical giant Bayer, Inc. has announced a $66 billion dollar buyout of Monsanto. While this buyout no doubt represents a significant and lucrative investment for the German corporation, it has raised a large battery of objections from concerned "citizen advocacy" groups who have long protested Monsanto. One such entity, the international protest group March...

New York Governor Bans Sex Offenders from Playing Pokémon Go

Recently I wrote about Pokémon Go, the new augmented-reality offering from Niantic, Incorporated. While the game offers a slew of incentives to exercise and make new friends in a time when children and adults are increasingly withdrawn thanks to technology, it also poses a variety of safety hazards due to the nature of its gameplay....