News & Media
Lottery Winner on Food Stamps
Amanda Clayton is a 24 year old from Lincoln Park, Michigan, who won the Michigan Lottery. She got $1 millon, but complained that it wasn’t really that much, since the government took 1/3 of it in taxes. She got caught using $200 a month in food stamps, despite her million dollar (before taxes) windfall. When she got caught, she said
Support for Terrence Connor
A partner at Hunton & Williams, Terrence Connor, was arrested for pepper spraying his neighbor’s dogs. The dogs belong to University of Miami Student Andrea Lopez, who lives next door to Connor. (source) Connor says that the dogs bark constantly and the police do nothing about the disturbance. He’s tried calling the police, tried spraying water on them, and now
Congratulations to Tera Patrick
Congratulations to Tera Patrick and Tony Acosta, on the birth of their baby girl. Sophia Evelia Acosta, was born on Feb. 25 at 5:01 a.m. in Los Angeles, according to Xbiz. The father, Tony Acosta, is a prominent Hollywood special effects artist known for his work in “300,” “Dawn of The Dead,” and the recent Superman movie, “Man of Steel.”
Racism and Cell Phone Jamming
CNN posted an article about cell phone jammers. Some guy uses one on public buses, when he thinks someone yapping on the cell phone is being rude. This guy thinks there is a racial component to it. In short, his point seems to be that the annoying cell phone user is more likely to be black or mexican than the
Transgendered Women are not "Dudes," Dude.
A bouncer at a St. Petersburg nightclub told some transgendered women that they couldn’t participate in “ladies night,” because they were “dudes.” (source) But, the story has a happy ending. The bar owner got wind of the issue (after a boycott was organized on Facebook) and both apologized and pledged to train his staff. “Our staff, in my opinion, didn’t
Obscenity trial in Quebec
We (ok, I) often think of Canada as our more enlightened sister to the north. But, Canada accepts the premise that multiculturalism is a justification for limiting free expression. R. v. Keegstra, [1990] 3 S.C.R. 697. Further, R. v. Butler, [1992] 1 S.C.R. 452 cuts against the expression-protection beauty of American Booksellers v. Hudnut, 771 F.2d 323 (7th Cir. 1985).
Why rednecks don't vote Democrat anymore
A thought-provoking essay over at Taki’s Magazine explores the issue. (here)
OK, Sandra Fluke might have a valid claim against Rush Limbaugh after all
Well, if she lived in Zimbabwe, that is. There, a 17 year old boy has been sentenced to caning for calling a woman a “prostitute.” The charge, “criminal insult.” (source) Under Chapter II, Part V of the Zimbabwean Criminal Law Act, a speaker can be criminally punished for such insults. 95 Criminal insult (1) Any person who, by words or
For the Last Time, NO, Sandra Fluke does not have a valid defamation claim against Rush Limbaugh
Why we have a First Amendment; Show Your Love for It When I hear Rush Limbaugh’s voice, I want to vomit. I despise just about everything that pill-addled, hate-spewing, disgusting piece of human tripe has ever said. The thought of him being thrown off the air and silenced forever makes me swoon with joy. A man can dream, after all.
Booze, Mobile Homes and Cannons, oh my
By J. DeVoy San Diego County authorities are investigating the death of a 33-year-old woman who appears to have been killed by a homemade cannonball while her four-year-old child slept nearby. (source.) The victim’s husband, whose name has not been released, was making a homemade cannon with a friend around midnight on March 6, 2012; the cannon exploded, apparently sending
Bieber Bang Bus Presents
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI2T69rNRZM]
Should Sandra Fluke Sue Rush Limbaugh?
Jeff Norman of the Huffington Post discusses whether a woman who was the subject of several comments by Rush Limbaugh about contraception and sex out of wedlock can sue the commentator for defamation. The post cites to a blog post by attorney Marc Randazza: First Amendment attorney Marc John Randazza comes right out and says Fluke has no “basis for
Judge strips Righthaven of rights to 278 copyrights and its trademark
VegasInc reports that a U.S. District Court judge stripped Righthaven of copyrights on March 5. According to the article, Randazza said the copyrights to be auctioned likely will be sold for memorabilia value, though some defendants may want to buy them just to make sure Righthaven doesn’t try to revive its lawsuits with amended copyright assignments. Read More…
Hung Jury in Ira Isaacs Obscenity Trial!
A Los Angeles jury was asked to put filmmaker Ira Isaacs in prison because the government didn’t like his movies. AVN reports that the trial ended today with a hung jury (source). Sources say the jury was 10-2 to convict. Here’s a big Legal Satyricon shout out to those two patriotic Americans who upheld the principle that a free society
The "Nude Body Scanners" protect us!
I just got an email from a reader. Name: REDACTED Email: REDACTED@REDACTED.com Message: Mr. Randazza, I know your loathing of the TSA is something of legend among the blawg world, so I thought you might enjoy this little expose on the complete worthlessness of the airport scanning technology. http://tsaoutofourpants.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/1b-of-nude-body-scanners-made-worthless-by-blog-how-anyone-can-get-anything-past-the-tsas-nude-body-scanners/ Yup, pretty much. Enjoy it? In a sick “I want to
Mary holding the dead Jesus
I mean this without a shred of sarcasm: This is an absolutely awesome study of various images of what I was raised to call The Pietà.
Navajo Nation Sues Urban Outfitters for Trademark Infringement
Last week, the Navajo nation sued Urban Outfitters for trademark infringement, trademark dilution, unfair competition, and a violation of the Indian Arts and Crafts Act for selling products branded as “Navajo” at its stores. The products? “Hipster Panties,” socks, and of all things, a flask. Yes, a flask. Complaint here. The incredible un-coolness of that just stuns me. Urban Outfitters
Is animal conservation always a good idea?
Isn’t the point of natural selection to get rid of animals like this?
All Righthaven's Intellectual Property Are Belong To Us
So sayeth the Honorable Philip Pro of the District of Nevada. (source)