Anyone know what the official BritGuv policy is on, say, the right to wear a burka or hijab or whatnot is?
Government-subsidized green light bulb carries costly price tag
Good idea: The US FedGuv wanted something, so they issued a “prize” approach.
Bad followthrough: They were vague on the requirements.
Specifically:
The U.S. government last year announced a $10 million award, dubbed the “L Prize,” for any manufacturer that could create a “green” but affordable light bulb.
Energy Secretary Steven Chu said the prize would spur industry to offer the costly bulbs, known as LEDs, at prices “affordable for American families.” There was also a “Buy America” component. Portions of the bulb would have to be made in the United States.
Well, they’ve revealed the winning lightbulb. This LED-based lightbulb would replace a standard 60-watt lightbulb, for the low, low price of only $50.
Fifty bones for a dim bulb. Whoopee.
Yes, it’s affordable for American families. The rich ones, anyway.
As one commenter on Fark.com put it:
With results like these, I’m really excited at how affordable the government can make healthcare.
When you find a spare three-quarters of an hour, give this a watch. John Stossel reports on how prit near everything is either illegal or regulated out of existence. He interviews a number of people who express some rather astonishing and anti-American glee over their power to control other peoples lives.
[youtube CFfVeXhtRa0]
New York City pops up with an important role, unsurprisingly.
Secret compartments could get drivers busted
A proposed state law, advocated by Gov. John Kasich, would make it a fourth-degree felony to own a vehicle equipped with secret compartments. A conviction would mean up to 18 months in jail and a potential $5,000 fine.
Ummm…
What happened to “it’s mine, and I’ll modify it however I like?”
Spain to receive shipwreck treasure after legal battle
Short form: a Spanish ship sank in 1804 with a bunch of gold & other treasure. Odyssey Marine exploration, Inc. fished up 49,000 pounds of goodies, worth about half a BILLION dollars. The US government declares that sunken treasure belongs to the nation of origin, not to the finders. US government gives the treasure to the Spanish government, not even allowing the company to get compensation for having stored the treasure.
Money quote from Melinda MacConnel, Odyssey’s general counsel:
“They have not considered the high cost of storage and conservation of these coins, but more importantly they have failed to consider that in the future no one will be incentivized to report underwater finds.
“Anything found with a potential Spanish interest will be hidden or even worse, melted down or sold on eBay.”
Good job, Spain. Say goodby to any more treasures from the past. Were I a professional treasure hunter, I’d certainly consider melting down any found gold, or just selling it one doubloon at a time.
I dare you to read this article and feel that all is well up north.
Police arrest and stripsearch innocent man after child doodles a gun
That’s not to say that things here are any better. But the mindset behind the fascists involved here is what you can expect from gun-grabbing nanny-staters.
… if you are a Muslim.
Judge rules against atheist attacked in costume
Short form: during a Halloween parade in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania (yes, that’s in the USA), an atheist was dressed as “Zombie Muhammed.” This offended a Muslim immigrant, who not only thought that it was illegal to dis Mo, but also took it upon himself to assault Zombie Mohammad. This was caught on crappy YouTube video. The assaulter was sent before a Judge… who ruled that the atheist was a “doofus” and sent the assaulter on his way, no conviction, case dropped.
A while back one of the trolls hereabouts was arguing that it was wrong to have a judge come before his employers and explain his decisions. Here is a case where a judge *really* has some ‘splainin’ to do. Unless something really good comes out, I’d say that he might need to be given an opportunity to explore a new career in fast food preparation or entry level data entry. Because it certainly looks like he sorta missed out on the whole “rule of law” thing.
There is, however, another aspect to the story: the Judge, one Mark Martin, is himself a Muslim. The victim of the assault posted a YouTube video with the audio of the trial (a little over half a hour); at the 31:28 point you hear the Judge mention that he’s a Muslim and offended by the “Zombie Muhammed” costume. Right after that he tells the victim “You have that right [to dress up as Zombie Muhammed], but you’re way outside your bounds of first amendment rights” (go ahead and try to figure THAT out).
[youtube Sv9IyrpOnbs]
Chicago Called Most Corrupt City In Nation
Has there *ever* been an honest politician from Chicago? None spring to mind.
The time is long since past for Illinois to secede from Cook County. Indiana could secede from Gary, and Chicago and Gary could merge into one giant black hole.
New Jersey: Assembly Committee to Consider Ammo Ban & More
Short form: Assemblyman L. Grace Spencer (go ahead and guess which party) is sponsoring bills that would allow the Attorney General to ban any ammunition he wants. All that’s required is that the guy simply determines that the ammo:
…poses a threat to the safety and well being of law enforcement officers because of the materials, be they metallic or nonmetallic, used in its composition or because its ogive, core or jacket are of a design, construction or formulation which makes it capable of breaching or penetrating body armor
Wow.
Since “body armor” is left undefined… *any* ammunition is thus vulnerable to being banned by fiat from an unelected bureaucrat.
Protecting American shores from the scourge of partying Brits:
US bars friends over Twitter joke
The lesson here: be careful what you post on your Tweeter website account if you plan on passing through a TSA junk-groping facility.
If you want big government, this is the face of it.