To First Amendment or Not to First Amendment

Judge Shuts Down Web Site Specializing in Leaks
New York Times: LINK

This is bogus. shouldn’t they be going after the people doing this crazy shit, not the people posting it?

In a move that legal experts said could present a major test of First Amendment rights in the Internet era, a federal judge in San Francisco on Friday ordered the disabling of a Web site devoted to disclosing confidential information.

The site, Wikileaks.org, invites people to post leaked materials with the goal of discouraging “unethical behavior” by corporations and governments. It has posted documents said to show the rules of engagement for American troops in Iraq, a military manual for the operation of the detention center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and other evidence of what it has called corporate waste and wrongdoing.

The case in San Francisco was brought by a Cayman Islands bank, Julius Baer Bank and Trust. In court papers, the bank said that “a disgruntled ex-employee who has engaged in a harassment and terror campaign” provided stolen documents to Wikileaks in violation of a confidentiality agreement and banking laws. According to Wikileaks, “the documents allegedly reveal secret Julius Baer trust structures used for asset hiding, money laundering and tax evasion.”

On Friday, Judge Jeffrey S. White of Federal District Court in San Francisco granted a permanent injunction ordering Dynadot, the site’s domain name registrar, to disable the Wikileaks.org domain name. The order had the effect of locking the front door to the site — a largely ineffectual action that kept back doors to the site, and several copies of it, available to sophisticated Web users who knew where to look.

Domain registrars like Dynadot, Register.com and GoDaddy .com provide domain names — the Web addresses users type into browsers — to Web site operators for a monthly fee. Judge White ordered Dynadot to disable the Wikileaks.org address and “lock” it to prevent the organization from transferring the name to another registrar.

The feebleness of the action suggests that the bank, and the judge, did not understand how the domain system works, or how quickly Web communities will move to counter actions they see as hostile to free speech online.

The site itself could still be accessed at its Internet Protocol address (http://88.80.13.160/) — the unique number that specifies a Web site’s location on the Internet. Wikileaks also maintained “mirror sites,” or copies usually produced to ensure against failures and this kind of legal action. Some sites were registered in Belgium (http://wikileaks.be/), Germany (http://wikileaks.de) and the Christmas Islands (http://wikileaks.cx) through domain registrars other than Dynadot, and so were not affected by the injunction.

Fans of the site and its mission rushed to publicize those alternate addresses this week. They have also distributed copies of the bank information on their own sites and via peer-to-peer file sharing networks.

In a separate order, also issued on Friday, Judge White ordered Wikileaks to stop distributing the bank documents. The second order, which the judge called an amended temporary restraining order, did not refer to the permanent injunction but may have been an effort to narrow it.

Lawyers for the bank and Dynadot did not respond to requests for comment. Judge White has scheduled a hearing in the case for Feb. 29.

In a statement on its site, Wikileaks compared Judge White’s orders to ones eventually overturned by the United States Supreme Court in the Pentagon Papers case in 1971. In that case, the federal government sought to enjoin publication by The New York Times and The Washington Post of a secret history of the Vietnam War.

“The Wikileaks injunction is the equivalent of forcing The Times’s printers to print blank pages and its power company to turn off press power,” the site said, referring to the order that sought to disable the entire site.

The site said it was founded by dissidents in China and journalists, mathematicians and computer specialists in the United States, Taiwan, Europe, Australia and South Africa. Its goal, it said, is to develop “an uncensorable Wikipedia for untraceable mass document leaking and analysis.”

Judge White’s order disabling the entire site “is clearly not constitutional,” said David Ardia, the director of the Citizen Media Law Project at Harvard Law School. “There is no justification under the First Amendment for shutting down an entire Web site.”

The narrower order, forbidding the dissemination of the disputed documents, is a more classic prior restraint on publication. Such orders are disfavored under the First Amendment and almost never survive appellate scrutiny.

25 Strangest College Courses

Top 25 Strangest College Courses
Collegedegree.com: LINK

College is a time for self-expression, freedom from parents, the pursuit of knowledge and exploration of a new career. If Mom and Dad (or the bank) knew what kind of courses their savings were funding, you might be yanked out of your academic bubble and into a much more economical and practical community college. Read on for more of the 25 strangest college courses.

1. Mail Order Brides: Understanding the Philippines in Southeast Asian Context: If you’re an anthropology or women’s studies major at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, consider getting your credits with this class, which is designed to “help explain the stereotyping of Filipino women.” While the class is expected to be taught in all seriousness, PhilippineNews.com reports that Professor Fenella Cannell “cautions prospective students not to submit fake applications for pen pals and/or spouses and to view the information as purely part of academic exercise.”

2. Tightwaddery, or The good life on a dollar a day: Alfred University’s demonstratively anti-capitalist course attempts to debunk contemporary culture’s popular myth: “Spend money and you’ll be happy.” According to the official class description, “On a theoretical level, we will consider how living frugally benefits your mind, your body, your relationships, your community, and the environment. On a practical level, we will examine personal spending habits [and] sharpen bargain-hunting rip-off-detecting, and haggling skills.” While they’re at it, maybe they can help drive down gas prices?

3. The Phallus: When the Los Angeles Times printed the headline “I Got an A in Phallus 101, readers were no doubt confused. But not so confused, we’ll bet, as the parents of the Occidental College students who really did come home with grades from the course simply titled The Phallus. Occidental’s Critical Theory and Social Justice department plans to discuss topics like “the relation between the phallus and the penis, the meaning of the phallus, phallologocentrism, the lesbian phallus, the Jewish phallus,” and even “the Latino phallus.”…

"did not know she was dead until intercourse was concluded"

Accused ‘unaware model was dead’
BBC News: LINK

The man accused of killing teenage model Sally Anne Bowman did not realise she was dead until after he had sex with her body, the Old Bailey heard.
Mark Dixie, 37, denies killing the 18-year-old in Croydon, south London, during a sex attack, in September 2005.
He claims he found her in the driveway of her home after she was attacked.
Her body was found in a pool of blood after being stabbed seven times. DNA found on her body matched samples taken from Mr Dixie.
‘Unattractive defence’
The court heard he moved to Australia in 1998, where his DNA was found on a Thai student who was the victim of a brutal attack.
He has never been charged in connection with the offence and denies any involvement.
Commenting on the charge of murdering Miss Bowman, Anthony Glass QC, defending, said: “It is, you may think, a very unattractive defence.
“He did not know she was dead until intercourse was concluded.
“Even though you may think his conduct is disgusting, he allowed his lust to get the better of him.”
A ban on the publication of images and photographs of Dixie was lifted by the judge at the end of the prosecution case.

Underproductive, or too Productive?

Mom: Police Told Daughter To Stop Calling Before Murder-Suicide
Local 6 Orlando: LINK
>>>>>BUSY
Cops these days have way too much to worry about – getting donuts, coffee, pulling over two cars for leaving a Wawa together (FUCK YOU!) – than to be listening to some girls “relationship” problems. even when they are life-threatening.

Police said Clay Coffner shot his estranged girlfriend, Natasha Hall, in the head outside her DeLand home Friday before turning the gun on himself.

Hall’s mother, Sherry, said her daughter was concerned about Coffner and informed police.

In fact, Hall said her daughter called police so much that on Jan. 15 they threatened her.

“The police officer said if you call us one more time on him, I’m going to arrest you both,” Sherry Hall said. “So, the day she died, she knew she couldn’t talk to police. So, she handled it herself.”

Michele Karpowicz said everyone noticed the warning signs before the homicide — except police.

“I was going crazy,” Hall’s best friend said. “He was psycho, jealous and abusive.”

Local 6 is trying to obtain a police call log to determine how many times the teen called police.

DeLand police officials have not responded to the allegations.

Sorry as Gibson is to Jews

Restaurant sorry over F word bill
BBC News: LINK

Ten friends found the abusive and sexually-explicit message on their bill at Joe Delucci’s Italian restaurant in Bird Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire.

Diner Clare Watkin said she thought it was written after they complained about poor service.

The party from Walsall had gone to the restaurant on Friday. Owner Nigel Langsdon has begun an investigation.

Ms Watkin said: “I couldn’t believe it. The bill read ‘fish cakes’, which one of us had for a starter, and it was written right above it – absolutely disgusting language.

I think that the way that we’ve been spoken to is absolutely outrageous
Clare Watkin

“We actually booked the table for 8 o’ clock in the evening, by the time they had taken our order it was quarter to nine and we didn’t actually receive our food until quarter past 10.”

She added: “I’d like a written apology from the restaurant and I’d also like some compensation.

“I think that the way that we’ve been spoken to is absolutely outrageous.”

TV chef Gordon Ramsay’s foul-mouthed diatribes on his Channel 4 show The F Word have given viewers an insight into the type of language often used in the restaurant kitchen.

Joe Delucci’s owner Mr Langsdon said the message had been meant to be seen only by kitchen staff and he did not know how it ended up as an item on the receipt.

He said: “That shouldn’t come out on the bill, so we’ve got to find out what’s gone wrong there.

“But we have apologised unreservedly to the girls concerned and said that they’re very welcome to come back and have a free meal and we’d like them to.”

He has also offered to donate the bill for their meal to charity.

The cost of the meal came to £284.68, including a 10% service charge.

Want to Lose that Extra Weight?

(South Bronx Paradise Parasite Diet)
IOL: LINK

Yo, you remember that “Aqua Teen Hunger Force Episode” entitled “Diet”? Where Carl loses weight with parasites, and meatwad only gains weight? Classic.

Hong Kong – Hong Kong health officials on Tuesday warned would-be slimmers not to consume parasitic worms in an attempt to lose weight following adverts for products containing worm eggs.

A health department spokesperson said there was no scientific evidence that infestation with ascaris, a parasitic worm which lives in the intestine, was a way to lose weight.

He warned that worm infestations caused pain, vomiting and diarrhoea and could prove difficult to get rid of.

“Ascaris infestation may also be fatal due to serious complications in human bodies such as intestinal, biliary tract or pancreatic duct obstruction. The worms may invade such organs as the lungs,” he said.

“The infestation can be treated with medication that kills the parasite. Surgical removal of the worms may be required in case of obstruction.”

The health department said it issued the warning following reports that a product containing worm eggs was being promoted as a slimming aid on a commercial website.

Ascaris is the most common worm infection in humans and is mostly found in tropical areas where sanitation and hygiene are poor. Adult worms can grow to more than 30cm long.

Also, I Love Blow.

Energy powder designed to look like COCAINE could be sold in Britain
Daily Mail: LINK
http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
Not long after Hershey made pouches of comes Blow. and not to mention the delicious Cocaine energy Drink – Now No Name Energy.

A shocking new energy powder designed and marketed to look like cocaine is set to cause a storm of controversy when it hits the shelves in Britain.

The white substance, which contains caffeine and other stimulants, is called I Love Blow and comes in a box complete with a mirror and fake credit card.

It is already on sale in ordinary grocery shops in the USA where angry parents have sending endless complaints to makers of the product and advertising watchdogs.

Now it is feared teens and even young children could start buying the fake drugs if the company finds an outlet in Britain.

A spokesman for I Love Blow revealed: “We have received a tremendous amount of inquiries from the UK and are actively speaking to potential distributors.”

And the company added: “We are currently in the process of getting approved in the Netherlands which gives us approval into most of the European Union.”

Advertising material on the company’s website shows the products heavy reliance on drugs imagery, including pictures of white blocks and lines of chopped up powder I Love Blow, which can already be bought over the internet, is actually a white powder designed to be dissolved in water to make an energy drink but its marketing is completely based on cocaine use.

It has already received outrage among American drugs counselling services and widespread coverage in the US media.

One American substance abuse expert Mike Gimbel said: “It is the most unbelievable product I have ever seen.

“It is the worst I have ever seen in using drugs lingo and drug imagery to sell the product to teenagers and young adults.”

“Blow” is a reference to the street name for class A drug cocaine but the powder actually contains 240 miligrammes of caffeine – more than four cups of strong coffee – and 2,000 miligrammes of the dietry supplement taurine, which is also contained in energy drinks such as Red Bull.

Former police drugs agent Ronald Brogan, who now works for the US drugs charity DARE, said: “One of the ingredients is inisotol, a vitamin type amino acid which looks almost identical to real cocaine because it has the same crystalline snowy appearance.

“It comes from the drugs culture and that’s what it is appealing to.”

But makers of I Love Blow defended the product by saying the marketing was specifically designed to appeal to the over 18’s – even though it is freely available in grocery stores, tobacconists, off licences and trendy boutiques.

Imagery on the company’s website in particular appeals to clubbing culture, showing scantily dressed girls, while describing the product as “pure, uncut, energy”.

A spokesman said: “There is currently no US regulation preventing minors from purchasing Blow or any other energy drink so technically we can’t prevent minors from purchasing Blow.

“Minors may be exposed to our marketing in much the same way they may exposed to advertisements for tobacco and or alcohol.

“But the bottom line is that our product is intended for adult consumption. Our distribution into night clubs and adult stores supports our position.

“We absolutely discourage anyone from snorting Blow. Our package has a clear warning to customers not to snort.”

This has not prevented a flood of complaints and the company receives a barrage of angry emails every day, along with even death threats from some consumers.

The spokesman admitted: “The news has brought attention to the brand and helped sales. in many stores, we sell a case of Blow every single day.

“Unfortunately, it has provoked groups of people to pressure many retailers to quit selling Blow.”

Blow comes in different sized packaging containing from two to several dozens phials of powder.

It costs £5 for a two pack sampler pack and £18 for 12 phials, which come in a box shaped to look like a block of cocaine.

The energy drink is described as being “powerfully effective” and has already sparked investigation by food and drink standards agencies in the US, although it is still on sale.

Energy Drink Ban

Bill would ban selling energy drinks to minors
Bangor Daily News: LINK

Caffeine is a drug. but kids can still get their caffeine through coffee. you go! also, chocolate and sodas contain caffeine too. it’s parents problem to stop kids from consuming this shit. grow up, parents.

AUGUSTA, Maine – High-energy drinks sold under names such as “No Fear” and “Rock Star” are being targeted by a state legislator from Allagash, who says they pack too much of a punch for minors.

Rep. Troy Jackson wants to ban the sale of the most heavily caffeinated products to minors under 18 and fine first-time violators $50. Fines would double to $100 for the second violation and $500 for any subsequent offenses.

The bill applies to energy drinks with 80 or more milligrams of caffeine per 8 ounces.

Jackson, a Democrat, said he’s not opposed to caffeine in moderation, but believes that some youths are drinking the products with no idea of how much caffeine they contain.

Some store owners in Jackson’s northern Maine district have told him that teenagers “come in and buy two, three drinks each, so they could go guzzle them,” he said. “They felt it wasn’t good for the kids, but they couldn’t say, ‘No, I can’t sell it to you.”’

Jackson’s view is shared by public health advocates, who say the sugar content in some products is just as troubling as the caffeine levels. Educators say the drinks overstimulate students and make them act up.

Teenagers who toss back the drinks before study groups, parties and athletic meets say the proposed restrictions are unnecessary. And industry groups such as the American Beverage Association say it’s unfair to focus on energy drinks when most have no more, and in some cases less, caffeine than a cup of coffee.

A 16-ounce can of Monster Energy, for example, contains 160 milligrams of caffeine, compared to 330 milligrams in a 16-ounce cup of Starbucks coffee.

“There’s no scientific basis for this legislation,” said Rodney Sacks, chief executive officer of Hansen Beverage Co., which makes Monster. “It’s an emotional issue.”

California is considering labeling energy drinks as potentially harmful, especially for pregnant women, because of the caffeine content. France and Denmark have banned the sale of Red Bull, one of the first energy drinks to arrive on the market and now one of the top-selling in the world. Jackson’s bill would not cover Red Bull.