November 2008

Taco Bell Lawyers Disrespectin’ 50 Cent

Lawyers for Taco Bell are accusing rapper 50 Cent of using his trademark-infringement lawsuit against the company for ulterior motives. Cent filed the lawsuit back in July after the company sent out a letter suggesting that it would donate $10,000…


Bears Linebacker Accused of Painting Son’s Toenails Blue

Brian Urlacher of the Chicago Bears continues to not get along with his ex-wife and/or baby mama, Tyna Robertson.  In court this week after the parties filed cross-motions on custody issues, Robertson said that she has not been allowing Urlacher to…


“White Line Fevers From Mars”: Norman v. Reagan (1982)

In this opinion from 1982, a judge dismissed Kent © Norman's complaint against Ronald Reagan, then President of the United States.  (It wasn't clear whether he claimed a copyright in "Kent" or had changed his middle name to ©.) While…


Note to Self: No Grocery-Store Carjackings This Holiday Season

The reason: grocery shoppers are likely to be toting heavy frozen turkeys, which could easily be used as weapons. This lesson comes to you from Raleigh, North Carolina, where "authorities say a shopper clubbed an alleged carjacker with a frozen turkey as…


2008 California Bar Exam Results

The results of the most recent California bar exam were announced last Friday.  This year, the examiners let 61.7 percent pass — the highest pass rate since 1997.  So, if you passed (in California or elsewhere), congratulations. If you didn't…


“Borat” Lawsuits Unsuccessful

Good news for "Borat" (and for "Bruno," who will apparently be featured in Sasha Baron Cohen's next movie) — every case filed to date by people unhappy with the way they were depicted in the film has been dismissed.  The…


Monty Python Fights Piracy With New YouTube Clips

In a great new development, which they say is aimed at defeating piracy, ending the spate of "crap quality videos" people are posting on YouTube, and selling more stuff, Monty Python has established its own YouTube channel featuring videos of…


DHS Says Scanners Successfully Detect “Mal-Intent”

Amid all the post-election [euphoria]/[depression] (choose one), it should not be forgotten that, behind the scenes, the Department of Homeland Security is still quietly on the job. And that is still terrifying. The DHS reported recently that tests of its…


Road Rage Getting Medieval

While there are far too many road-rage incidents involving firearms, it is heartening to know that in at least some cases, men are still using the more honorable melee weapons with which their forefathers brutalized each other, back when "road rage" involved…


Swedish Parliament Intervenes in Birthday-Party Dispute

While Sweden's parliament was on the right side of this dispute, you would think it might have more important things to do than get involved in a fight over who should be invited to an eight-year-old's birthday party.  I know…