Things in the news

A city councilman in Maryland claimed that the local paper didn't have the right to print his name without his permission and threatened to sue.
Not that they defamed him or anything, that they couldn't print his freaking name.
Needless to say this led to some considerable amount insulting from internet and one of the best editorials I've seen in a long time.
Check the first letter in each paragraph.

Kirby Delauter, Kirby Delauter, Kirby Delauter - The Frederick News-Post : Politics And Government

 

Yep, that's my (current) hometown for ya. Kirby is—quite obviously—a fucking douchebag. Fortunately he doesn't represent my county district, but the fact that he holds office at all is sobering.

I say kudos to the FNP's editorial board for this one, especially seeing as its been picked up by the AP, NPR, Washington Post, etc. I believe #KirbyDelauter was also trending nationwide earlier today on Twitter.

 

*it's

Phone keyboard typo, I swear.
/threadjack

 

Something fun and interesting coming to late night TV

 

Relevant: Maryland councilman's threat to local newspaper over 'unauthorised' use of his name backfires spectacularly as Twitter users mercilessly mock him | Daily Mail Online



Bless their hearts, the North Koreans think Delauter is a U.S. Senator. Perish the thought.

 

I hate this state. I need to just be in Denver now, not 10 months from now. This does not surprise me. The Skyway is terrifying to drive over, I can't imagine a worse way to die.

 

He threw her off the bridge in front of a police officer? I probably would have shot him then and there, then gone in after her.

 

They need to use the word "monster" instead of Dad. The word Dad should be defined as an honor that is achieved and respected. This monster is nowhere close.

 

That's BS. When you run for public office, you become public property. Even death doesn't protect public figures from the media. Someone on another forum gave me a hard time over something that I posted after Margaret Thatcher's death. I explained that controversial people leave a legacy, be it good or bad, that is open to discussion even after they die. I wish that I could remember the proper journalistic term for it.

 

This is a bit off topic but I was at my writers group tonight and when I mentioned that I wrote horror one of the people asked me how I could handle the violence and ugliness in my head all the time.
I don't know if it was all the coffee I had consumed but I went off on a rant about this story.

About how the idea of this poor little girl being dragged out of the truck and thrown to her death by the one person who she was supposed to trust made my brain bleed.
That I had two daughters and to carry their image at that age in my mind, then imagine them falling 60 feet to into a river ....
I explained that I could write about werewolves twisting peoples heads off or thrill killers blasting holes in anyone who stands in their way, all day long and it doesn't bother me a bit compared to that one news article.

 

The doctrine was established in New York Times v. Sullivan and several following cases, that the First Amendment limits libel law.

A public figure can get damages for libel only if the publisher acted with "actual malice", AND knew the statement was false, or acted with reckless disregard for the truth.

As Wikipedia puts it: "Because of the extremely high burden of proof on the plaintiff, and the difficulty of proving the defendant's knowledge and intentions, such cases—when they involve public figures—rarely prevail."

I'm a public figure myself, but NY Times v. Sullivan is one of my favorite U.S. Supreme Court cases.

The UK does not have any similar rule, so American celebrities often try to sue for libel in Britain.

 

Another story that hits a little too close to home:
Bishop Heather Cook to be charged with manslaughter in hit and run death of Thomas Palermo - Baltimore Sun

Drunk driving (and not her first time), texting, and leaving the scene of a fatal accident. Here's hoping justice is served.

 

Lock her the hell up.
It will be protecting the lives of other people on the road.

 

This is a cell phone test.

 

Video: 'Hacktivist' group Anonymous says it will avenge Charlie Hebdo attacks by shutting down jihadist websites - Telegraph

 

Go get 'em Anonymous.

 

The Staten Island Prosecutor who couldn't get an indictment in the Eric Garner case is talking about running for the Staten Island Senate Seat vacated by the convicted felon Micheal Grimes.

Staten Island Prosecutor Who Oversaw Eric Garner Case To Run For Congress - BuzzFeed News

I wonder if one of the small parties could run Eric Garner's widow as a protest candidate.
It would make the debates interesting.
She wouldn't have to say a word.
Just look at him and shake her head.