You shouldn't support a friend's every decision -- not when it involves their engaging in self-destructive behavior. That can range from doing drugs or stealing to cutting themselves. They say friends back each other up through thick and thin, but "backing up" doesn't mean endorsing the person's behavior if they're a danger to themselves or others. In such cases, you should get them the help they need to abandon such habits -- from family, other friends, neighbors, colleagues, a therapist, and so forth. By keeping your mouth shut and allowing your friend to continue such acts, you're enabling them. It makes you an accomplice who's every bit as guilty as your friend, even if you're not engaging in the same behavior. If you know they're doing things that can get them in serious trouble with the law and/or harm their well-being, try to convince them to stop. If that doesn't work, get the person's loved ones involved. When no ...

On this day in 1901, Connecticut becomes the first state in the U.S. to enact a law regulating motor vehicles. It limited their speed to 12 mph in cities and 15 mph on country roads. Speed limits had been established earlier in the United States, but only for non-motorized vehicles. In 1652, the colony of New Amsterdam (presently New York) issued an order stating that “No wagons, carts or sleighs shall be run, rode or driven at a gallop,” or else the driver would incur a fine of no less than “two pounds Flemish.” In 1899, the New York City cabdriver Jacob German was arrested for driving his electric taxi at 12 mph. The path to the law begin enacted in 1901 began when Representative Robert Woodruff submitted a bill to the State General Assembly proposing a motor-vehicles speed limit of 8 mph within city limits and 12 mph outside of the limits. The law passed in May 1901 specified higher speed limits but required drivers to slow down when approaching or passing horse-drawn vehicles...

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died in his sleep last night at the age of 79. He traveled to Texas for a hunting trip with friends, who say he told them he didn't feel well Friday night. When he didn't get up for breakfast this morning, someone at the West Texas ranch went to check on Scalia and found him unresponsive. Scalia was the first Italian-American and longest-serving justice on the nation's highest court; he served from 1986 until his death. He was a fiery conservative known for his brash personality and biting sense of humor. Though many people disagreed with a lot of what he had to say, there's no denying Scalia held a deep respect for American law and was a champion of the Constitution. Chief Justice John Roberts says he and the other justices are deeply saddened by Scalia's unexpected passing. Scalia, who frequently used the phrase "What can I say," was known as "Nino" by many of his colleagues.