News & Media
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
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
"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
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.
Germany limits piracy penalties
Germany has limited individual piracy penalties to about $1,300 a pop. (source). On one side, I think that’s a reasonable penalty for stealing a song or a movie. On the other hand, it isn’t if there are procedural hurdles to actually being able to enforce even that low amount. I don’t know German civil procedure, so no idea on that.
Kids these days…. (students destroy NSA recruiters)
This audio is 12 minutes long. I usually don’t have 12 spare minutes to listen to audio recordings unless someone is paying me to do so. I got sucked into this, and it was some of the most uplifting 12 minutes I’ve had in recent years. University of Wisconsin students showed up to an NSA recruiting session and verbally kicked the living shit out of the NSA recruiters. Audio here.
Third Amendment Case in Nevada! (updated)
A federal lawsuit filed against the Henderson, NV police department raises Third Amendment issues! How exciting! In the case, Anthony Mitchell and his family sued the City of Henderson and its Police Chief Jutta Chambers, Officers Garret Poiner, Ronald Feola, Ramona Walls, Angela Walker, and Christopher Worley, and City of North Las Vegas and its Police Chief Joseph Chronister, in Federal Court. The allegations stem from a domestic violence investigation, in which Mitchell alleges the Henderson police wanted him to let them use his house to gain a “tactical advantage” over the subject of their investigation. At 10:45 a.m., Defendant
Las Vegas CityLife on the New Nevada Anti SLAPP Statute
Getting the word out.
Remember the good ol days?
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0wL9Li0f1Po]
This should not be news…
But it is… its news that a member of congress swore in without using a religious text… she used the Constitution. (source) What a novel idea.
Tits in the Mosque
To protest in favor of women’s rights and against Sharia, three women went into a mosque, in Stockholm, and shed their clothing. (source) In the immortal words of André Vippolis, that’s not really cool, man. I have no quarrel with their point, but as stupid as the Abrahamic religions are, those who gathered peacefully to practice their silly superstitions have a right to do that.
Virginia Gov. Candidate Wants Oral and Anal Sex Ban Revived
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, (and the GOP nominee for governor) has his panties in a wad because the Fourth Circuit held that Virginia’s laws prohibiting oral and anal sex were unconstitutional in light of Lawrence v. Texas. He’s asking the Supreme Court to overturn the decision, at least when it comes to minors. (source)
Fourth Circuit Delivers First Amendment Ass-Kicking
This is not a Star Trek order. There are no pithy jokes here. There is, however, a shocking exposé of just how insidious the government can be in coercing silence when you speak out against outdated, incorrect, and even dangerous “conventional wisdom.” Cooksey v. Futrell, et al., Case No. 12-2084, 2013 WL 3215240 at *1 (4th Cir. June 27, 2013). Steve Cooksey ran a blog advocating a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet. This diet and its permutations are generally known as known as a “paleo,” “primal” or “caveman” diet, and is based on eliminating historically recent additions to the human diet, such
Nevada's New Anti-SLAPP Law
You may have noticed that the writing has been a bit slow as of late. Well, one of the things that has been taking our attention away has been an all-hands effort up in Carson City, working on getting a realanti-SLAPP law passed here in the Silver State. We are proud to announce that the mission has been accomplished. Nevada officially has a new anti-SLAPP law it can be proud of. For the last two years, the Legal Satyricon has been complaining about the inadequacy of Nevada’s existing anti-SLAPP law. Notably, one judge suggested the possibility that the statute could