News & Media
NYT Editorial on Libel Tourism
This Sunday’s New York Times ran an editorial, ‘Libel Tourism’: When Freedom of Speech Takes a Holiday. When plaintiffs file defamation suits in U.S. courts, they always have the First Amendment looking over their shoulders. Defamation suits in the U.K. have no such encumbrances. Accordingly, a few sleazy defamation plaintiffs learned that they may as well file in the U.K.
Palin and Clinton on Saturday Night Live (and word for the day – "Flurge")
Funniest SNL intro ever.
Flight Attendants Freak Over In-Flight Porn
Bloomberg.com reports: American Airlines flight attendants are urging the world’s largest carrier to filter its in-flight Internet service to block access to pornography and other Web sites the workers said were inappropriate. (source) What I would like to know is this: Why we would let a union of uneducated bitter prison matrons decide what is “appropriate” for the rest of
Jones Day – Big Law Firm, Tiny Pink Ethics
Jones Day is the latest big law firm that seems to believe that its size and money give it a free pass with respect to ethcis. See Trademark Abuse by Jones Day to Suppress Free Speech. BlockShopper is a website that reports on home purchases in various markets. When BlockShopper reported that two Jones Day associates bought a pair of
God, I Love Camille Paglia
Writing about Sarah Palin: Palin has made the biggest step forward in feminism since Madonna channeled the dominatrix persona of high-glam Marlene Dietrich and rammed pro-sex, pro-beauty feminism down the throats of the prissy, victim-mongering, philistine feminist establishment. That’s not the entire thesis of her article, which is brilliant from drop cap to the final period.
Florida Gay Adoption Ban Struck Down
A Circuit Court judge in Monroe County, Florida, has determined that the Florida’s ban on gay adoptions violates the state constitution. (source) The judge wrote that the bigoted law violates the state Constitution “because it singles out a group for punishment.” (source) “Contrary to every child welfare principle the gay adoption ban operates as a conclusive or irrebuttable presumption that
New Satyriconista, Christopher Harbin
Christopher Harbin is a second-year law student at the University of Michigan. His interests include anonymous internet defamation, net neutrality, John Doe lawsuits, obscenity law, video game law, and corrupting the English language through the use of L33tSp34k. Welcome to the revolution, Mr. Harbin!
Auto Admit Plaintiffs Respond to Mariner's Motion to Dismiss
It seems that the Auto Admit plaintiffs and their attorneys are getting desperate. In response to Ryan Mariner’s motion to dismiss, the Plaintiffs filed this. The Plaintiffs claim that Mr. Mariner’s postings (“get in line” and something about an ice cream sundae) lowered their standing in the community. Unfortunately, it seems that they and their attorneys have taken this way
I Miss Earl Weaver
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YKxf3OkpJc] HT: Janelle
JK Rowling Case (I told you so)
Back in November, I wrote about the Harry Potter Compendium lawsuit in J.K. Rowling – Worst British Export Since Rick Astley. At the time, it seemed like I was the only one who thought that JK Rowling would prevail (even though I didn’t think she should). Looks like I was right, unfortunately. The S.D.N.Y., following the Second Circuit’s decision in
I Wish I Lived in Brazil (or Singapore)
ABC News was trying to photograph lobbyists meeting with Democratic Party leaders at a hotel in Denver. For that gross affront freedom and authoritah, an entire squealing flock of blue-suited trash not only arrested the ABC producer, but made sure to add a little insult to injury in the process. (source) Remember back in 1999? We still had a pretty
Ernest Borgnine: The Secret to a Long and Healthy Life (I'm Gonna Live Forever!!!)
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I_PeLNzxNQ] HT: Marty Klein
GoDaddy Gives Certified Appraisals for Cybersquatting Domain Names
The Domains Blog gives a report on how GoDaddy is not only selling domain names that clearly infringe on trademark rights, but selling certified appraisals of those domains. The Domains Blog, a domainer-industry source is deeply disturbed at this turn of events and proposes a domain parking code of conduct: A. Parking companies must refuse to park any domain that
UDRP Decision Discusses Privacy Services and Bad Faith
A recent UDRP case gave one of the harshest criticisms of domain registration privacy services rendered to date. See Ustream.TV, Inc. v. Vertical Axis, Inc., WIPO Case No. D2008-0598. The majority of the Panel also finds that the use of a privacy shield in this case further supports its finding of bad faith registration. Although privacy shields might be legitimate
All Your America Are Belong to Us!
By: Zac Papantoniou – Weird Legal News Satyriconista Apparently, The Moorish American Science Temple (MAST), is pretty pissed off at… well, pretty much everyone in Illinois, but especially at Washington Mutual Bank, the Cook County Sherriff’s Office and the Chicago Police Dept., because the Temple’s Fiduciary Board Members filed suit against those three (3) parties yesterday, along with “all known
Is the VPILF Candidate a Censorship Monkey?
It looks like she shares a few political genes with Rhonda Storms. See Here’s the story about Palin’s book-banning try as mayor. HT: Lisa
In Minor Political Race, Major Misunderstanding of IP Law
f.k.a. reports on a tiff between two bald white guys running for a family court judge-ship. At least one of the candidates doesn’t know the difference between copyright and trademark — and certainly knows nothing about either field.
Nassau County, FL Ordinance Update
The Fernandina Beach News Leader gives us some insight into an anti-porn ordinance that Nassau County, Fla. thinks it can pass. The ordinance would ban the sale of any pornographic material that depitcs “specifically described sexual conduct.” According to the ordinance, that means one of the following: (1) rape or sexual battery; non-consensual intercourse, sodomy, or oral sodomy – [rape,
Finally… a Sarah Palin Post
Satyriconista Zac can’t believe that I haven’t chimed in on the VPILF yet. Well, here goes. First of all, she would be the first VPILF in history. Second of all, she might be in favor of jury nullification. So far, so good.
Yale Law 2017
A teacher called a 14 year old student an “ugly brat.” Now she wants $75,000. Source. Anyone else want to call her an ugly brat? Get in line.
