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NXIVM: Prosecutors ask for 2-week delay to trial, Keith Raniere asks judge to reject it

[Keith Raniere]

Former Nxivm leader Keith Raniere really doesn’t like to be in jail and doesn’t want to delay the start of his trial, which is scheduled to begin on April 29.

Continue reading NXIVM: Prosecutors ask for 2-week delay to trial, Keith Raniere asks judge to reject it

‘Bottlegate’ rolls on: ‘You don’t really think we’re going to let this go, do you?’

 
While we continue to wait for a response from the Watchtower organization to our inquiry about ‘Bottlegate,’ we thought we’d share with you an entertaining video by a couple of ex-JWs about it.

Continue reading ‘Bottlegate’ rolls on: ‘You don’t really think we’re going to let this go, do you?’

Nxivm bookkeeper Kathy Russell gets traction with her dismissal attempt

[Kathy Russell and Judge Nicholas Garaufis]

A few days ago we told you that among the Nxivm defendants, bookkeeper Kathy Russell had a novel argument in her attempt to get charges against her dismissed ahead of the April 29 trial start.

Continue reading Nxivm bookkeeper Kathy Russell gets traction with her dismissal attempt

Rhino horn isn’t Chinese Viagra — it’s for the hangover the next morning

 
How do we get Chinese and Vietnamese cretins to stop treating their ailments with pseudoscience that is causing the decimation of whole populations of animals like rhinos and pangolins?

Continue reading Rhino horn isn’t Chinese Viagra — it’s for the hangover the next morning

An ex-Jehovah’s Witness explains why the ‘Bottlegate’ video is so crucial

[Melissa Beckwith and Tony Morris]

Since Lloyd Evans posted video of Jehovah’s Witnesses Governing Body member Anthony Morriss III buying a dozen bottles of expensive scotch at 11 am on a Sunday morning and dubbed it ‘Bottlegate,’ we’ve been interested in all of the scenarios Witnesses are coming up with to excuse his behavior.

Continue reading An ex-Jehovah’s Witness explains why the ‘Bottlegate’ video is so crucial

NXIVM: Actress Allison Mack pleads guilty — ‘I was lost and wanted a community’

[Allison Mack leaves the courtroom today after pleading guilty. Photo by VillageDianne.]

Our correspondent VillageDianne was in the courtroom just now as Smallville actress Allison Mack pled guilty to two counts — racketeering and racketeering conspiracy — and broke down in tears twice as she did so.

Continue reading NXIVM: Actress Allison Mack pleads guilty — ‘I was lost and wanted a community’

Jehovah’s Witnesses help only their own at disasters? A Witness counters with links

 
We’re always very happy to receive replies to our stories from Jehovah’s Witnesses who want to present their point of view. Yesterday, we posted a story by ex-JW Michael Paddock, who talked about being instructed to sneak around Red Cross officials in order to locate and help only Jehovah’s Witnesses in the relief effort after Hurricane Katrina. With a counterpoint, here’s Witness Jimmy Price…

Continue reading Jehovah’s Witnesses help only their own at disasters? A Witness counters with links

Patriot games: Killing a rhino for the good old red, white, and blue!

 
OK, so you’ve hunted down one of the most targeted species on earth and ended its life with some high-velocity projectiles from a safe distance. You have your trophy, and maybe you get an erection from it or something.

Continue reading Patriot games: Killing a rhino for the good old red, white, and blue!

Jehovah’s Witnesses at natural disasters seeking only their own: A first-person report

 
A couple of times recently in our discussions with Lloyd Evans, the issue of Jehovah’s Witnesses and natural disasters has come up. Jehovah’s Witnesses are obsessed with the idea that a bloody, global apocalypse is imminent, and so we’ve wondered how the organization is dealing with the actual localized catastrophes that come up from time to time.

Continue reading Jehovah’s Witnesses at natural disasters seeking only their own: A first-person report

Park rangers nice enough to retrieve rhino poacher’s skull for his grieving family

 
Family is family, and even if your family member is the lowest form of life on earth — a rhino poacher — relatives are going to want his remains, even after he was crushed by an elephant and eaten by lions.

Continue reading Park rangers nice enough to retrieve rhino poacher’s skull for his grieving family