News & Media
Ron Paul – Right Again
The ol’ doc’s oratory skills seem a bit off here, but he has the right idea (as usual). Personally, I’d prefer legislation that makes every American immune from prosecution if they punch a TSA employee in the face. But, I’ll settle for Rep. Paul’s bill. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qwsdq69AHnw]
Training Day
Faithful Readers: I arrive at headquarters with two black shirts, two pairs of black pants, one pair of black boots, two pairs of black socks, one black jacket, an army surplus mattress, and three hundred dollars personal burial money. My handle is Splifton and my resume is not impressive. I plan on contributing tangentially relevant popular culture articles to The Legal Satyricon. My background on the interwebs consist mostly of lurking on message boards and less time posting well reasoned thought provoking blog articles. My punctuation, spelling, and grammar are best described as atrocious and I have been told I write at a fifth grade level. If you are looking for good writing you probably best avoid my posts. In
What is the TSA's Job, Really? (Applause for John Tyner)
Back in February, I wrote that it was time for a social revolt against the TSA. The idea was that everyone should treat TSA agents like shit. I haven’t met any outside an airport — probably because I don’t frequent places where uneducated ‘tards hang out. Accordingly, I wasn’t able to employ my own strategy. I’d like to renew the call. We’ve employed an army of low grade fucking retards to pantomime security theater — and if you think it was absurd before, we’ve really turned the corner into idiocracy now. Here in San Diego, an American citizen by the name of John Tyner arrived at Lindbergh Field (San Diego’s main airport) and was faced with a choice — either
On Corporations and Free Speech
By J. DeVoy Earlier this month, when I danced on Russ Feingold’s political grave, Randazza and several others critiqued the desirability of unbridled free speech for corporations. This is a subject where many will have to agree to disagree. Since defending corporations seems to be the minority position, though, I think the rationale should be clearly delineated. In many ways, it makes sense and provides value to society. A few disclosures: My stock portfolio is worth $0, and my net worth is just slightly in the negative six figures. (Adios, gold-diggers!) To understand my opposition, I spent two-and-one-half hours watching The Corporation, a documentary on the corporate form and the evils it has allegedly wrought on the world. I have
The Legal Satyricon guide to child care
By J. DeVoy [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydHMU05BknE&fs=1&hl=en_US] Ah… to see into the future.
Jamey Petree – Asshat of the Week
A Michigan father has filed a lawsuit against his daughter’s local school district, claiming that her civil rights were violated when her fifth-grade teacher read certain portions of a children’s book by Julius Lester, the noted civil rights scholar and author. The passages from the book apparently used the word “nigger” in them and discuss the buying and selling of slaves. Lester’s book, From Slave Ship to Freedom Road, is intended to teach children about slavery in the United States. From the Amazon.com review: Slavery is a difficult concept to address with children, especially because many adults would prefer to forget that period of American history. In From Slave Ship to Freedom Road, award-winning author Julius Lester takes older children
Lamebook, We Support You!
by Jason Fischer I know this story is already a couple of days old, but we think it’s still worth reporting on. For anyone who doesn’t know what’s going on, Facebook has been on a tear recently trying to flex its trademark muscles, suing and threatening to sue pretty much anyone who uses the word “book” in their name. Well Lamebook, a site dedicated to poking fun at the oft times unintentional hilarity that appears on Facebook, has decided that its not going to be bullied. On November 4, after receiving threats of litigation from the social networking giant, Lamebook filed a declaratory judgement action in Texas, asserting the collective First Amendment rights of its creators and users… and for
Goddamnit, California, when are you gonna learn?
by Jason Fischer When are you gonna learn that legislation and regulation are not a substitute for parenting? If your kid is too fat, don’t buy them the effing happy meal. Problem solved. Banning products is the worst form of government intrusion. Period. And while we’re on the subject of banned products — thanks alot, stoners, for sitting on the couch and hitting the bong last Tuesday instead of getting out to vote for Proposition 19. Have another bag of Funyuns, you lazy bastards. Rant concluded. You may go about your day as previously scheduled.
Shame on Wisconsin
Shame on Wisconsin. You just threw out the only member of the U.S. Senate with any integrity. You just demonstrated that this country is ruled by a small cabal of moneyed interests, with millions of uneducated rednecks as their foot soldiers. Feingold was our last citizen-senator. He was, for his entire time in office, the poorest member of the Senate, yet he consistently returned his pay raises. He consistently voted his ideals, rather than chasing re-election. It caught up with him yesterday, to all of our detriment. I met Mr. Feingold once. I’ll never forget it. It was September 9, 2006. There were about 20 other people at a small party in Orlando. He gave a quick speech, and asked
Good riddance to Russ Feingold
By J. DeVoy Russell Feingold will be an ex-senator in January. It’s not soon enough. Feingold, half of the propulsion behind the McCain-Feingold Act that limited political speech and chipped away at your First Amendment protections, was never the reformer he portrayed himself to be. McCain-Feingold has long been one of the outgoing Wisconsin senator’s hallmark achievements. Unfortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court wasn’t as enthusiastic about it as Feingold’s supporters, evinced by Federal Elections Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life, Incorporated, 551 U.S. 449 (2007) and most recently Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission, ___ U.S. ___, 130 S. Ct. 876 (2010). McCain has already paid his dues by having the 2008 presidential campaign thrash his political career to near-death.
Bob Guccione belated RIP
by Charles Platt I’m slightly stunned to learn that Bob Guccione died ten days ago. Why would I care? Because he was an idiot-savant of the sexual revolution who also launched Omni magazine, a bastard mix of science fiction and science. It spawned a slew of imitators, including Discover, which I think is the sole survivor. I used to write for Omni, and thus was invited to a party at Guccione’s brownstone on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in the early 1980s. Sinister Sicilians in dark blue suits stood guarding million-dollar oil paintings that were hung casually, as if they were mere reproductions. A swimming pool occupied the entire basement. Strange-looking women with big mouths and revealing dresses were
Because who cares if it's your kid?
By J. DeVoy Troubling news from Britain, America’s canary in the coalmine and a target of immense reverence from college students who lived there – in a nice part of town, with other Americans – while studying abroad. From a Spectator article arguing for the complete end of DNA paternity testing: At a stroke, the one thing that women had going for them has been taken away, the one respect in which they had the last laugh over their husbands and lovers. DNA tests are an anti-feminist appliance of science, a change in the balance of power between the sexes that we’ve hardly come to terms with. And that holds true even though many women have the economic potential to
About that four-year-old sued for negligence…
By J. DeVoy “What I want, what I want, is just your children.” – Marilyn Manson; New York’s personal injury bar Much has been made of the New York Supreme Court’s recent decision to allow a negligence suit to proceed against four-year-old Juliet “Juliette” Breitman. Unlike most outlets, we have the court’s non-final disposition for you to read. As a prefatory note, the New York Supreme Court is the state’s lowest court, and this decision may yet be amended by the New York Supreme Court Appellate Division – the state’s intermediate appellate court – or its highest court, the New York Court of Appeals. In New York, infants under age four are conclusively presumed incapable of negligence. Because the defendant
Anonymity takes center stage at TED
By J. DeVoy Chistopher “m00t” Poole, founder of the site that shall not be named, discusses the value added by Anonymous internet use. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_1UEAGCo30&fs=1&hl=en_US]
Limewire Shutdown Over Copyright Issues
by Jason Fischer Limewire joins the list of infamous internet services deemed to be overwhelmingly used for copyright infringement (source). Napster, Mp3.com, and Grokster rumored to be throwing a welcome bash for the new fish.
An evening with Chief Justice John Roberts
By J. DeVoy On Tuesday, October 19, John Roberts visited his home in Buffalo, New York, and gave an uncommonly intimate talk at Canisius College. Rather than a lecture with a specific topic, Roberts sat down with Canisius alumnus and trustee (and Harvard Law grad) Joseph Hassett to discuss pre-selected questions by students and alumni. In an unusual act of bravery, Roberts later took questions from the floor. The Chief Justice led off with a discussion of the Court’s technological advancements. Transcripts from oral arguments are now posted at the end of the day of argument, with audio recordings available on a 3-5 day delay. While not going so far as to allow live broadcast – something Roberts acknowledges has
Larry Flynt offers Carl Paladino a jerb
By J. DeVoy I’ve previously discussed Carl Paladino and his infamous e-mails. Hustler’s Larry Flynt recently reviewed them as well and decided to weigh in: “Mr. Paladino has proven throughout his career that he knows how to monetize his interests and his pension for pornography should be no different,” Flynt said in a release, according to Politico . He went on to explain the logic of his offer, “It’s clear he’s better suited to join our team than be the Governor of the State of New York.” (source.) Flynt paired his comments to Paladino with an offer to be an executive editor with Hustler. It seems like a better gig than being the Governor of New York State. Between this and
O'Dear O'Dumb O'Donnell
By Tatiana von Tauber My oh my. It just doesn’t get any better than this recording of Christine O’Donnell showing what anti-Tea Partiers have been cringing about all along. While at first it’s funny O’Donnell doesn’t know much about the separation of church and state or the First Amendment, on the deeper side we know just how scary this can be. This is the same camp as Sarah Palin and no doubt a wonderful addition to the new and “improved” version of the dumb blonde: the dumb brunette. They’re few and far between and seem to congregate at Tea Party functions. video: http://www.dailykostv.com/flv/player.swf
So You Want to Go to Law School?
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMvARy0lBLE] H/T Kara Marie
ABA Rearranges Chairs on the Deck
The ABA has hired its first “Chief Marketing Officer.” (source). The ABA has been bleeding 2,000 and 4,000 members per year since 2008, when membership stood at 408,000. ABA membership isn’t growing at the same rate as the profession, said former ABA President Carolyn Lamm,>> a partner in the Washington office of White & Case. The association doesn’t even represent half of all U.S. lawyers anymore, she said. Yeah, no shit. How on earth could the ABA grow at the same rate as the profession? The worthless sacks of shit at the ABA see nothing wrong with accrediting new law schools, with standards that have nothing to do with law practice, meanwhile there are about as many unemployed “lawyers” as
