Assorted Stupidity #106
- UPDATE: According to the National Post, it will probably remain illegal to canoe under the influence in Canada for the foreseeable future. A pending bill would have provided that vessels "propelled exclusively by means of muscular power" would no longer be covered by the relevant Criminal Code provision. See "Canada May Legalize Drunken Canoeing," Lowering the Bar (Sept. 29, 2017). But MPs said they were persuaded by the Canadian Safe Boating Council that this would "send the wrong message," and the bill was amended to remove the "muscular power" provision. The bill is still in committee, though, for now.
- Speaking of Canada, this happened last year, but I thought I should mention that in March 2016, the town council of Bracebridge, Ontario, passed a bylaw specifically legalizing "yelling, shouting, hooting or similar noises made by a human," at least during daylight hours. Prior to the change, all such noises were illegal at all times.
- Remember to check your local ordinances and/or seek legal advice before hooting in your own community. See "Anti-Hooting Law Passes in South Carolina," Lowering the Bar (July 23, 2010).
- The Orlando Sentinel reports that the city has paid $37,500 to settle a lawsuit filed by a man who was arrested for what officers thought was meth but was actually flakes of sugar from a Krispy Kreme glazed donut. An officer's "roadside drug test" came back positive for an illegal substance, but a slightly more expert test came back positive for sugar.
- I get a fair amount of press releases from PR people, though it's not clear to me how I get on these mailing lists. Case in point: I recently got a press release from a PR firm announcing that former congressman Michael Grimm was demanding that FEMA extend the final deadline for people to make claims for Hurricane Sandy relief. I don't have a problem with the extension, I just wonder why they expect pro-Grimm messages from me given that my prior mentions of him have not been especially flattering. See "Good Reason to Kill #48: Asked Wrong Question After State of the Union" (Jan. 29, 2014) and "Can a Convicted Felon Serve in Congress?" (Dec. 24, 2014) (answer: yes, although Grimm resigned after his conviction).
- Wait-does this mean former congressman and convicted felon Michael Grimm is out of prison and running for Congress again? It sure does! See "Worst Person in Congress? Disgraced NY Republican Michael Grimm Eyes Comeback," Newsweek (Sept. 20, 2017); "Michael Grimm, a Former Congressman and Felon, Wants His Job Back," New York Times (Oct. 1, 2017). Did he semi-apologize for his crimes but also claim he was railroaded? He sure did! Could a creep like this actually win an election in America today? Yep.
Related Stories