Author Archives: Alison Hughes

A wooden gavel with a golden band rests on its sound block against a plain white background.

Think Before You Post

Bringing down the gavel

In case you needed one, here’s another reason to be careful about what you post on Facebook. An age discrimination case that originates back to 2010 between Patrick Snay and the Miami-based Gulliver Preparatory School began when “Gulliver declined to renew Snay’s contract following years of employment” (Smiley, Miami Herald, 2014). The case took a surprising turn when Mr. Snay’s daughter, Dana Snay posted an antagonistic comment on Facebook. The comment, which was seen by Dana Snay’s approximately 1,200 Facebook friends, stated “Mama and Papa Snay won the case against Gulliver. Gulliver is now officially paying for my vacation to Europe this summer. SUCK IT” (Stucker, CNN, 2014). Unfortunately for the Snays, Dana’s comment was posted just days before the deal was set to be finalized.

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A white and red football helmet with a red face mask is lying on a green grass field. The helmet has visible scuff marks and dirt, suggesting recent use.

Tackling This NFL Problem Head-on

In need of protection

Over 100 million people tuned in this past February to watch the 2014 Super Bowl. Friends. Aside from the immediate effects of the brain trauma, football players are increasingly reporting long-term effects such as dementia and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Some of the consequences of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) include depression, increased aggression, and other memory-related issues. Last year, the more than 4,500 former players filed the class-action lawsuit against the National Football League demanding compensation for their injuries. Read More

A close-up of diverse, colorful textile rolls lined vertically. The fabrics display various patterns and textures in shades of red, orange, beige, and other colors, creating a vibrant and structured visual tapestry.

Yelp Reviews – The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Keeping carpets clean.

When it comes to Yelp reviews, businesses expose themselves to a variety of comments -from the happiest customers to the most outraged ones. One small business owner, Mr. Joe Hadeed, is taking a stand against several negative reviews posted on Yelp’s website. Hadeed is the owner and operator of Hadeed Carpet Cleaning, a small, Virginia-based business with a listing on Yelp’s website. After his listing received several anonymous negative reviews, Mr. Hadeed decided to take legal action. Hadeed’s lawyer, Mr. Raighne Delaney “issued a subpoena demanding the names of [the] seven anonymous reviewers” (Howell & Swarts, 2014). Delaney and Hadeed argued that the reviews were created by fictitious customers and therefore were fraudulent posts. Read More

A top-down view of wine bottles stored in a honeycomb-style wine rack, with each bottle placed in a separate hexagonal compartment. The rack is made of reddish-brown material, and the bottles vary in color and label.

Not-So-Vintage Wines

Racking up value

Oenophiles have long appreciated the finest of wines under the assumption that the wines were indeed the rarest among vintage collections. However, the distribution of counterfeit bottles has become increasingly common among wine auction houses. One particularly famous oenophile is now attempting to bring more awareness to these fraudulent practices. William Koch – a wealthy wine connoisseur and member of the well-known Koch family – has spent approximately “$25 million of his own money to shine a light on frauds in the business” (CBS, 2013).

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Fighting over the “American Dream”

Sorry, we’re full!

The American Dream complex – formerly known as Xanadu and located in East Rutherford, New Jersey – has become a controversial addition to the area. Construction of the complex began in 2007, but the building itself experienced a delayed development. Despite its potential for a variety of fun opportunities from 300+ retail stores to theme parks, protesters have put forth legitimate apprehensions and lawsuits over the complex’s effects to the surrounding areas.

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