Ignorantia Juris

I saw no reason to comment on the fact that some TSA officials demanded that a well-endowed women wearing an underwire bra submit to a fondling to clear security.  Perhaps I’m suffering from outrage fatigue.  Well, not “perhaps.”  I am.  The announcement of “most recent dumb thing the TSA/DHS/Security-of-whatever-variety does to support security theater” is almost a bi-weekly occurrence, alternating with “the word ‘terror’ is used in an completely inappropriate context” and “taking a picture of child, even your own, is evidence of pedophilia.”

But Scott Greenfield of Simple Justice makes this point, one of those that lurks in … Continue Reading

There have been a few reports of various convention attendees/protesters/whatnots voicing their . . . displeasure with Fox News.  This is a good example.
Director Spike Lee hit town early Sunday evening for a reception for black state lawmakers at trendy East Colfax Mexican restaurant Mezcal.

He immediately was engulfed in a horde of media, showing his true liberal political colors when one reporter, identifying himself as a correspondent for Fox News, asked Lee a question. The actor snapped, “I don’t do Fox News,” and immediately disappeared into the restaurant, which was closed to the media — not just Fox.
Now, … Continue Reading

Just a few days ago, over a hundred college presidents released a letter advocating that the drinking age should be lowered (and the number keeps going up).

Today, the Feds announced that they will issue grants of over $19 million to each state to help enforce underage drinking laws.  The language is a little fuzzy, so I’m not sure if that is $19 mil to each state or $19 million total, but I am sure that that is a large hunk of the green, all going to help punish people.  Some of whom are, to point to the most … Continue Reading

Sometimes I agree wholeheartedly with something that Reason magazine puts out, sometimes not.

Today is a not day.

Jacob Sullum has a piece today on why mandatory posting of nutritional information in fast food restaurants is unnecessary, and I have a few bones to pick.

1.  Sullum posits that consumers don’t want the information posted, mainly based on the idea that the market isn’t clamoring for it.  I know that the belief that the market is perfectly rational and directly responsive to consumers is gospel to certain people, but the continued existence of cell phone early termination fees suggest that their … Continue Reading

I seldom watch television news, but this evening I ended up doing so.  And what do mine eyes see?  A segment on how the FAA has banned all model airplanes within a 30 mile radius of the DNC for the duration.

Of course, no credible threat is mentioned.  And commercial airplanes can still take off and land.  But small pieces of plastic with about a quarter mile control range, those are a threat.

The highpoint of the segment was the statement from an FAA official to the effect of how we have to put up with some inconvenience for security.  … Continue Reading

A lot of people are talking about the drug raid on a Maryland mayor (that’s just two, trust me, there are more).  The raid where the cops shot the mayor’s dogs, pretended to have a no-knock warrant, and now admit that it is a possibility that the drugs were supposed to be intercepted en route by a hidden party, having nothing to do with the actual targets of the raid.  A few have brought up the fact that this conduct is not covered by the Exclusionary Rule, and that Justice Scalia has stated that a “new professionalism” … Continue Reading

The Volokh Conspiracy is talking about secession and stupidity, and making some … interesting … arguments about secession being a viable option.

I agree that the constitutional/legal issue of secession has not been dealt with.  That being said, it is well nigh impossible to imagine circumstances in which the U.S. Government would allow a peaceable secession.  But the point that really interests me is this:
To avoid confusion, I should emphasize that I think that the federal government was right to suppress the Confederates’ efforts to secede. But not because secession is always illegal and impermissible. Rather, the Union was … Continue Reading

The Congressional Republicans little game of staying in the House is genius.  Well, minor genius.  Like the guy who thought of making caffeinated Snickers bars.

First, you got the compelling message.  The Congress is about the people’s business, at least the Republicans are.  And the people’s business is energy policy.

And then you’ve got your spectacle.  The Democrats shut down the lights when the Republicans were still there.

And now you’ve even got bona fide citizen journalism.

-I know it’s tempting to make fun of it, call it a pizza party, but don’t forget the powerful … Continue Reading

The Denver PD is proposing that the Denver City Council pass a law forbidding protestors at the DNC from possessing certain things, chains, pipes, bulletproof vests and the like.

As happens rather frequently, the law and order types are all in favor of this (look to the comment).  Now, I’m not going to get into that whole debate, but I do have one thing to add.  There is one group that continuously attempts to do the two things that are happening here, namely 1) ascribe moral qualities to inanimate objects, and 2) use ownership of perfectly legal items as … Continue Reading

Bruce Schneier has a post on The Continued Cheapening of the Word Terrorism, to which I am incapable of adding much.  It is, however, worth reading, just to keep in mind.  Terrorism is not a simple tactic, it has consequences and repercussions and causes that already require deep examination.  Using it as a synonym for “things I don’t like” can only distract.