News & Media
Rest In Slack, Brother
In honor of Cliff Heller, who merged with the infinite on this day in 2006, the Legal Satyricon flag is lowered to half mast and there will be no posts today. If you happen to find yourself with a bottle of tequila nearby, I would like to invite you to take a shot (no salt) in his honor. If you have none, Makers’ Mark will do. Blue skies Bueno Rodriguez. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAblYFFx0Cw]
Miley Cyrus
What do I think of Miley Cyrus’ “performance?” Fuck you. That’s what I think of it. Why was anyone even watching the “MTV” “music” “awards?” Who gives a sweet holy fuck about them? A cabal of a few assholes picks their favorite corporate-approved “artists” and sells them to FUCKING SHEEP, and then the sheep are offended/aghast at what some prepackaged child did on stage? If it bothered you, then go read a book or snort coke off an underage hooker’s ass next year instead of watching that crap. At least it will be your experience – and not some junk-mind-food garbage. Miley isn’t the problem…. bleating herds of devolving sub-humans who buy that shit are. So if you were watching,
Sacramento Husband says he was defamed by Cheaterville user
News 10 Sacramento reports that a Sacramento couple says they plan to subpoena Cheaterville to discover the identity of the person who posted the husband’s information on Cheaterville’s website. Randazza, who represents Cheaterville, said: “These are claims that nobody has seen since mid-January, and nobody remembers – but they will obtain far more notoriety, credence, and permanence as part of a federal lawsuit than they ever could on Cheaterville.” Read More…
Cops more likely to kill you than Terrorists
The next time you hear some whining coward (by that, I mean the majority of the American public) apologizing for the loss of our civil liberties in the name of “safety” from “terrorism,” remind them of this fact: You are eight times more likely to be killed by a cop than by a terrorist. (source) It is a little more nuanced than that, but the point is well taken. (nuance)
Why would a Muslim write a book about Christianity?
It isn’t as if Fox News has a high bar for journalistic talent or integrity. Lauren Green, however, seems crappy even for Fox News. Reza Aslan is one of the world’s foremost scholars on the subject of world religions. He recently wrote a book, Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth (Amazon). Fox News decided to have Lauren Green “interview” him. The result was simply embarrassing. Greene demanded to know why a Muslim would write a book about “the founder of Christianity.” To that, Aslan replied, “Well, to be clear, I am a scholar of religions with four degrees, including one in the New Testament, and fluency in biblical Greek, who has been studying the origins of Christianity
Blinded By The War on Terrorism
An op-ed in the Los Angeles Times tells it like it is. Sarah Chayes, a former assistant to the Joint Chiefs of Staff explains how our national obsession with terrorism has led to us being less free and less safe. For more than a decade, the U.S. government has been focused on one type of threat above all others: terrorism. This obsession has not only been used to justify an erosion of Americans’ privacy, it has opened them to other dangers and, paradoxically, made it easier for terrorists to achieve success. (source) She explains how our reaction to 9/11 played in to Bin Laden’s plans. Demanding zero risk of terrorism at home, moreover, makes it easier for terrorists to succeed.
When is malpractice a good thing?
Well, never. But, in the case of JK Rowling’s outing as the real “Robert Galbraith,” perhaps it had a sliver lining? Rowling wrote a story under the Galbraith pseudonym. But, Rowling’s lawyers screwed the pigeon. Chris Gossage, an entertainment lawyer and partner at the law firm Russells, was apparently showing off when he told his wife’s best friend in a “private conversation” that Rowling had been writing under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, a “married ex-military man” credited as the author of The Cuckoo’s Calling. (source) Usually when a lawyer blows up the attorney-client privilege, there isn’t much to celebrate. The client gets pissed off, and everyone runs to plug the leaks. (Or so I would imagine, I haven’t managed to
Buzz Aldrin held a "secret" religious ceremony on the moon
Even as an atheist, with a strong belief in the separation of church and state (and a wish that people all over the world would shake off the yoke of superstition), I think this is a pretty cool story. Buzz Aldrin decided to hold his own private communion ceremony in the LEM before walking on the moon. Aldrin silently read a passage from the book of John that he had written out on a 3×5 card: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me.” Then he took out the miniature chalice and bread and wine from his personal allowance pouch. “I
Elizabeth Warren Kicks Ass
Why am I proud to be a Masshole? Because Massholes elected this chick.
Rich people are assholes… scientifically proven?
No, really, watch this. [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuqGrz-Y_Lc#at=38]
More thoughts on the Rolling Stone cover photo
My post on the Rolling Stone portrayal of Tsarnev has, to say the least, generated a bit of an emotional response. Much of it positive, but there’s certainly a fair amount of disagreement. I think the problem that some people have with the cover is that it has a tendency to humanize Tsarnev. On that cover, you see him as “normal.” Meanwhile, we prefer to see villains as one-dimensional. It is just so comforting to look at someone who did something horrible, and say “I could not even see myself hanging out with this guy, he’s just not like us.” It makes it easier to deal with if we can look at this guy and say “he’s a monster.” There,
Say what you want about North Korea
But its propaganda arm seems to have hit it right on the head in this film about American celebrity and consumerism. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Irw7SRv-l44] H/T: Rushie UPDATE: It seems that I was fooled. This is not from North Korea. This was created by Slavko Martinov – and seems to be a parody/commentary. Source. Fuckin’ Rushie.
An excuse to dip your testicles in someone's drink
You can taste with your balls! (Source) [youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vrmZAXezkhA]
In Which I Learn Enterprise Rent-a-Car is Unethical
I rented a car from Enterprise. DC issued a speeding ticket to that vehicle, claiming it was going 43 mph in a 30 mph zone. Fine: $110. Because it is a rental, the citation went to Enterprise, which did not bother to investigate or contest the citation. They then gave me notice of the citation and a deadline to contest it internally (through third-party provider, Highway Toll Administration, LLC), else they would charge my credit card per some buried prior authorization language. Their notice gave me no useful information about the ticket–not even an obvious citation number–so I contested. On June 13, they provided me the ticket information. I looked it up online and saw that my vehicle, which has
You get the journalism you deserve, Boston
I’m usually pretty proud to be from Massachusetts. Cradle of Liberty, great education system, almost no country music… Massachusetts is supposed to be one of the places that helps pull the center of the national intellectual curve up a bit. Nevertheless, once and a while, I have an epic facepalm that makes me realize that the place can be wicked fahkin retahded. The last time was when Boston went into a state of complete freak out over lite-brites stuck to bridges. This time, it is Boston’s apoplectic reaction to the latest Rolling Stone cover. My social media feeds are highly Boston-centric, and the reactions are strong. The complaint? Rolling Stone should not have put that guy on the cover, and
"The Irrationality of Giving Up This Much Liberty to Fight Terror"
Conor Friersdorf breaks it down here. It does make you wonder why we’ll cast the Constitution aside to prevent a statistically insignificant event, meanwhile we’ll let far greater (and preventable) threats continue unchecked.
"Your Papers Please" hits Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan went for a walk in Long Branch, New Jersey. An old white guy walking around a hispanic neighborhood looked “suspicious,” so a cop demanded to see his ID. When he couldn’t produce it, she detained him until his story checked out. (source)
Stupid Comments Should Not Result in Charges
Heard of Justin Carter? (See, e.g., http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/03/tech/social-media/facebook-teen-jail) Apparently, he made a stupid sarcastic comment attempting to joke about shooting up some kids and eating their hearts. It isn’t a real threat against any identifiable person–it even contained an “lol j/k” disclaimer. Yet, the constitutional schoars at the Comal County TX District Attorney’s office (http://www.co.comal.tx.us/cda/index.htm) have kept him in jail for four months, with bail at $500,000. Kudos to his attorney, though, for taking this case pro bono. I can understand the police investigating, but that should have been the end of it. No charges; no prosecution. Don’t they realize they are practically setting themselves up for a huge civil suit? (While they might enjoy individual immunity, the taxpayers who will
What do you get a 100 year old woman for her birthday?
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV-M-83Yr4k#at=63]
Las Vegas City Life: "Free Speech Just Got Freer in Nevada"
Las Vegas City Life coverage on Nevada’s new anti-SLAPP law, here.
