Now, it's not clear whether BK is running this ad in the U.S. Either way, though, it's rather tremendously juvenile. BK, following in the footsteps of McDonalds, will probably deny that it was trying to be suggestive in running a patently suggestive advertisement . . .

. . . thus confirming the truism that there is no bad publicity.

Via.

You might think that a short academic paper, written in the customary turgid jargon, wouldn't be as funny as an article in, say, The Onion.  If so, you've never read "Transgressing the Boundaries: Toward A Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity," published in 1995.

And you've certainly not read this paper, by Harvard economists Greg Mankiw and Matthew Weinzierl, published two weeks ago.

Should tall people pay higher taxes?  The answer might surprise you.

One of the joys of public transit are the interesting conversations one overhears. This morning, two young ladies were discussing something, and I heard the following exchange:

Girl #1: I don't know what his major is, but he's going to Duke

Girl #2: What's that?

Girl #1: Duke University?

Girl#2: Is that in England?

Some of the most creatively cool things can be done by legally reworking a book or film through the doctrine of "fair use," or when its copyright expires.

This is not one of those things:

This special 280-page edition not only contains an abridged Origin of Species but also has a 50-page Introduction that reveals the dangerous fruit of evolution, Hitler’s undeniable connections to the theory, Darwin’s racism, and his distain for women. It counters the claim that creationists are “anti-science” by citing numerous scientists who believed that God created the universe—scientists such as Einstein, Newton, Copernicus, Bacon, Faraday, Pasteur, and Kepler.

In other words, Living Waters Ministries is releasing an edition of the work that omits most of the painstaking detail of Darwin's original (which is what made it convincing to his contemporaries), and adds a fifty page screed laying the Holocaust at Darwin's feet.

We want to get one million copies into the hands of students and professors in colleges and universities throughout the U.S. Let’s see if they try to ban Darwin’s Origin of Species. That would be interesting.

I find this disingenous, as it's worth pointing out that censors who share certain core beliefs with Living Waters Ministries have attempted to ban the book, in its unabridged form, for over a century without success.  I'm quite sure Living Waters would ban the original if it could.

That said, they're free to publish as many copies of this bastardized version, in an attempt to distract from an undeniable scientific truth that is not actually in conflict with the most important teachings of their religion, as they please.

And libraries are free not to stock it.  And schools and professors are free to throw it into the wastebin.  Isn't America a great country?

(Via Chris Berez)

From the reliably hilarious blog PassiveAggressiveNotes:

(Follow the link, or click on the pic a couple of times to get it big enough to read. It's worth it.)

Don't miss their related note either.

But don't think it will change our content, not for a moment.

Don't mind the banner ads that will soon be appearing on our tastefully redecorated main page.  They'll be present to allow you to shop from the comfort of your own home or office for the best in dvds, games, and even imported cheese.  With free two-day shipping on all items, guaranteed, if you join Amazon's amazing Prime members' program.  I'm a member, and believe me, the benefit of free shipping is well worth the almost negligible cost!  You should try it!

Likewise, our focus will continue to remain on bringing you the hottest news from the world of law, politics, humor, and technology, such as Ken's impressions concerning the "next wave" in reading, Amazon's fabulous Kindle 2 DX!

We'll of course continue to bring you our thoughts on the best in gaming as well, such as Activision-Blizzard's recent expansion for the best-selling game World of Warcraft, Wrath of the Lich King, discounted from its already low price to $32.99 on Amazon.  Get it by Wednesday, June 24 if you order in the next 8 hours and choose one-day shipping.

We'll have more news on this exciting partnership with the leading online retailer of books, games, technology, and so much more, in posts to come.

Please permit me to say something a little self-indulgent about story tips from readers.

I'm happy that we are steadily building readership here, thanks largely to generous links from smarter and more widely read people. But one of the things I prize the most is a story tip from a reader who thinks that I might like to write about something.

Here's the thing — I don't always use them. In fact, more often than not I don't use them. But that's not because I don't appreciate them, or you, Gentle Reader. It's because at that moment I can't think of something interesting or funny to say about them. Blame my medication.

But thanks for the blogging suggestions and tips. We welcome them. Sometimes when the planets are right we will use them. Keep them coming.

Anonymity — it's not just for bloggers any more. Cops like anonymity too.

Of course, when bloggers fight for anonymity, they tend to do it with sarcasm and impassioned arguments of the tl;dr variety. When cops — who generally don't like to be photographed while doing what our tax dollars pay them to do — fight for anonymity, it tends to be with the less refined but more effective tools of truncheons, knees in the small of your back, handcuffs, and criminal charges.

Case in point: Rogier at Nobody's Business has the video of British cops arresting Val Swain and Emily Apple, who had the indecency to ask a cop for his name and badge number and take his picture when he would not give it. Swain and Apple are part of a group called FitWatch. FitWatch exists not to harass me for eating entire large pizzas in one sitting, but to observe and protest Britain's Forward Intelligence Teams, which "monitor" (or, if you credit FitWatch, harass) protests over in Merrie Olde. In this case FitWatch was watching cops as cops watched the "Kingsworth Climate Camp" in a British town called Hoo. I am reliably informed that "Hoo" is not made up. Nor, regrettably, is it proximate to a village called "Ha."

FitWatch is now trying to identify the arresting officers in this case.

What FitWatch does is dangerous to itself, in England or anywhere else. It's particularly dangerous in England thanks to that worthy nation's drunken careen towards comic-book authoritarianism, which includes a recent proposal that could criminalize taking pictures of police officers. The same conduct will get you in trouble in America as well, of course. There are many ways to punish the crime of contempt of cop, and they come under guises like "obstructing a police officer" and "resisting arrest" and "creating a public disturbance" and "disturbing the peace." If you try to question a cop — or take a picture of a cop in the course of his or her public duties — you may find yourself wearing one of those labels, may find yourself faced with a fraternity of armed and uniformed people pleased to perjure themselves to assure your conviction, and find yourself faced with a justice system that views your side of events with a mixture of hostility, cynicism, and apathy. So good luck with that.

This situation will prevail as long as people put up with it. Cheap digital cameras, broadband, and citizens who do not believe that cops are owed unquestioning deference will help limit it.

I've had 24 hours with the Kindle DX now, so time for some first impressions.

Short answer: it's just great.

Continue Reading »

Spotted at Pat Buchanan's 2009 National Conference for his group The American Cause, which is devoted to, among other things, making English the official language of the United States:

The extra "e" is for "exclude the immigrant hordes!"

Pity poor Pat. Anyone can have a moran moment.

Via many Lefty sites, including Shakesville.

City College in San Francisco is struggling, as are many schools in this challenging economic climate. There is the possibility that 800 classes (ranging from staples like Biology or Photography to more esoteric fare like Advanced King Fu and, my new favorite class, Psychology of Shyness and Self-Esteem) will be cancelled.

How does one start to address this issue? Well, if you pay $6,000 they will save the class and name it after you. Imagine the possibilities here. Instant Academic credibility, for only $6,000. How impressive would having a class named after you be? And, even better you get to pick the class. The list of available classes is here.

I propose we take up a collection, and sponsor a class. Perhaps Advanced Kung Fu, or something in Comparative religion? Maybe Motorcycle Engine Overhaul? I love the idea of Popehat Presents Water Aerobics…

In all seriousness, these cuts really are tragic, and they aim at those who need the help the most. Our community college system is one of the few opportunities for those who fall between the cracks, either financially or academically, to get a degree or transfer to a better school. In many ways, it is the lynch pin of our public education system. These cuts will have some pretty ugly ripples a few years from now.

Fred Phelps is a classic troll.

When the religious lunatics who comprise Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church turn out to spew their homophobic, anti-American venom at soldiers' funerals, they're seeking attention.  Almost any sort of attention will do, whether it's from the media, from counter-protesters, a police cordon, or being beaten up.  But the congregation of Beth Simchat Torah, a New York synagogue, may have hit upon the one form of attention that Phelps doesn't want:

Charity.

Leaders of Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, a West Village synagogue that caters to gays and lesbians, didn't want to ignore a planned visit by members of the rabidly anti-gay and anti-Semitic Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church.

Instead, they asked supporters to pledge a dollar or more for every minute that six protesters stood near their synagogue hurling epithets and holding signs that read "God Hates Fags" and "Jews Stole the Land."

The final haul after 50 minutes: $10,000.

As Beth Simchat Torah is not the sort of synagogue that an anti-semite like Phelps would imagine (meaning its adherents are not rich – the congregation can't afford to own a building), this fundraising drive will do the congregation a world of good.  To my knowledge, it's the first widely publicized instance in which the Westboro bigots have been used to promote good deeds on a local level.  In all likelihood they'll never return to Beth Simchat Torah.

And no one's freedom had to suffer for it.

This sort of creative counter-activist judo has promise as a means of repelling other odious characters, not just Westboro.  If Phelps protests at a military funeral, people of goodwill should use it to gather pledges for Disabled American Veterans. If it's a homophobic outburst, how about Lambda Legal Defense? If what dregs remain of the Ku Klux Klan remain are marching (it still happens where I live), why not organize pledges for a local historically black college or the scholarship section of the UNCF?

In many cases laughter isn't just good medicine.  It's the best revenge.

(Thanks to reader and frequent commenter ST for the tip.)

This weekend Cracked had a piece on The Seven Most Baffling Criminal Defenses, profiling inane, otherworldly, and seemingly bogus defense theories, some of which worked.

(I was pleased that they didn't go for the cheap and easy shot at the frequently misstated "twinkie defense.")

Surely, you think, these are mere outliers, exaggerated for effect. Surely people don't routinely try such things in the courtroom.

Well, yes and no. Or more precisely, no.

On the same theme, via Walter Olson at Overlawyered, read the story of C. Aiken Blitz, who defended a speeding ticket by arguing that his BMW is simply so brilliantly engineered, its ride so baby's-ass smooth, that he couldn't tell he was speeding.

Legal realism note: as a rule, you will not find traffic court judges sympathetic to the defense "Your honor, I am not guilty because my German luxury car is too awesome."

Blitz, I hardly need add, is a lawyer.

I am quickly loading my capacious Kindle DX with free books — some from the faith-and-love-in-humanity-restoring Guttenberg Project, and some from Amazon's Kindle store itself.

The opening paragraphs of my first ten books on the device, all of which I had located and downloaded well before receiving my new toy:

Continue Reading »

A combination Father's Day/very early 40th birthday present. Impressions to follow this week.