Legal Juice

Yes, really. So here's what Joseph Decker, of Hughestown, Pennsylvania, had on the back window of his truck:

IF YOU'RE IN AMERICA & CAN'T SPEAK ENGLISH GET THE FUCK OUT!

I think that's idiotic, and I don't think Joe (Decker, not "the Plumber") would have a problem with my opinion. As reported by WNEP:

"Some people give me thumbs up, they say, 'Yeah, that's the way it's supposed to be.' Some people say, 'Oh, that's stupid you shouldn't have that on there.' Everybody has an opinion," Decker said Tuesday.

The Juice is a First Amendment diehard, but the local fuzz? Nope.

[Mr. Decker] was recently cited by Hughestown police for disorderly conduct because of the "obscene language" on his truck. He's fighting that charge.

And he's going to win. He has the law on his side, and a lawyer, Barry Diller, who has won 2 similar cases recently.

Dawn Herb of Scranton was charged for swearing at her overflowing toilet. People outside heard her. A judge ruled Herb's First Amendment right to free speech was violated. She won a settlement of $19,000.

Dyller said he also won a settlement of $19,000 for a man from Larksville charged with swearing at police.

Is it just me, or does it seem like these cases are worth somewhere in the neighborhood of, say, $19,000?

People always ask how I find the stories for Legal Juice. I found this one on the back page of the "A" section of yesterday's Washington Post. I was skimming a full-page ad for a new allergy drug called "Xyzal." Ignore, if you can, the idiotic name "Xyzal." In the not-so-fine print, I read the following:

Do not take Xyzal if you are allergic to Xyzal ...

I had to read it again, and again, because it was SO STUPID. I'm trying to think of an equally stupid analogy, but I can't!

But there's more. The "don't operate heavy machinery while taking this drug" warning is very common. But what about driving your car?

"Patients taking Xyzal should avoid operating machinery or driving a motor vehicle."

You can't take this allergy drug and safely drive a car? Doesn't this eliminate MOST PEOPLE IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD? And just to be sure it wasn't a misprint, I checked the company's website, and found the exact same warning! Brilliant!

So said 27-year-old professional soccer player Bob Malcolm after being arrested for driving while intoxicated. Here's a man who truly believes in accepting responsibility for his actions:

I recognise that footballers are role models and that, as such, they should set a positive example. On this occasion, I have failed to do that.

Okay. Sounds good.

"But I must say that I was very upset and frustrated with the poor performance of the referee in our match at Plymouth the evening before."

Doh! What were the circumstances of his arrest? As reported in the Daily Mail:

The drama happened on the M1 northbound at Tibshelf, Derbyshire, at around 6.30am on December 27 last year.

A shocked motorist told police he nearly smashed into Malcolm's car, which was straddling the middle and fast lanes of the motorway.

The other driver pulled over, woke up Malcolm, persuaded him to move to the hard shoulder, and then phoned 999.

Malcolm's blood alcohol level was more than double the legal limit. In addition to blaming the ref, Malcolm did have one more comment to try and distance himself from the crime:

"I would also like to stress that at the time of the incident, I was not driving my car. "I had pulled over to the side of the road and was sleeping. Once again, I apologise for what has been a major error of judgment."

Wow. And how exactly did you get there, Malcolm? By getting shitfaced, and then driving to your parking spot in the middle of the road? NO EXCUSES. Just cop to it, and people will respect you a lot more. (I'm sure that ref is looking forward to his next match with you.) Here's the article.

You live in Georgia, and you Lose a City Council election (the right to be in the run-off, actually) to a transgender candidate. Naturally (if you're Georgia Fuller, anyway), you sue for fraud. One small problem, Loser lady, City Coucil Member Michelle Bruce IS AN INCUMBENT. Doh! This doesn't stop Fuller from arguing that, as she calls him, "Michael Bruce," has an unfair advantage running as a woman! We're talking about a town of 12,000 people, which Michelle has been serving for 4 years! Said Michelle:

I'm Michelle. I'm the same Michelle they elected four years ago. They're just distracting the voters from the issues. Everybody in my district knows me, everyone in Riverdale knows me. I've done a real good job representing the people. I am for the people.

Because I think Fuller's lawsuit is one of the most idiotic I've ever seen (considering how many cases I review daily for this blog, that's saying something), Bruce get's the last word: "People want a candidate that will listen to them, protect them, save them money and be there for them. And I always will be." Hopefully, Ms. Fuller has moved on. Here's the story from PrideSource.

You've probably heard this expression before: "I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it?" Fuhgettaboutit. Not in these times. Reinforcing that notion, as reported by wkrn.com ...

A Nashville man says he and his 10-year-old daughter were victims of road rage Thursday afternoon, all because of a political bumper sticker on his car.

Give me an "O" ..

He said Harry Weisiger gave him the bird and rammed into his vehicle, after noticing an Obama-Biden sticker on his car bumper.

Duren had just picked up his 10-year-old daughter from school and had her in the car with him.

"He pointed at the back of my car," Duren said, "the bumper, flipped me off, one finger salute."

But it didn't end there.

Duren told News 2 that Weisiger honked his horn at him for awhile, as Duren stopped at a stop sign.

Once he started driving again, down Blair Boulevard, towards his home, he said, "I looked in the rear view mirror again, and this same SUV was speeding, flying up behind me, bumped me."

Duren said he applied his brake and the SUV smashed into the back of his car. He then put his car in park to take care of the accident, but Weisiger started pushing the car using his SUV.

Duren said, "He pushed my car up towards the sidewalk, almost onto the sidewalk."

Damn!

Police say Harry Weisiger is charged with felony reckless endangerment in the incident.

Here's the source.

With what? A fart. Yes, the police charged Clarksburg, West Virginia resident Jose Antonio Cruz with battery for farting on a policeman! As reported in the Charleston Daily Mail:

South Charleston police said they were fingerprinting Cruz at police headquarters Tuesday when Cruz moved near Patrolman T.E. Parsons, lifted his leg and passed gas "loudly" on the officer, according to a criminal complaint.

Cruz then waved the air in the direction of Parsons, who was preparing a breath test machine nearby.

"The gas was very odorous and created contact of an insulting or provoking nature with Patrolman Parsons," the complaint said.

Charges this serious cannot go unanswered.

Cruz acknowledged passing gas, but said he didn't move his chair toward the officer nor aim gas at the patrolman. He said he had an upset stomach at the time, but police denied his request to go to the bathroom when he first arrived at the station.

"I couldn't hold it no more,'' he said.

A valid defense. So what happened to Mr. Cruz? Someone thought better of it (perhaps everyone), and the battery charge was dropped.

Apparently it's a crime to teach while you are under the influence of alcohol and prescription drugs. ("Teaching While Intoxicated") As reported by The Desert Sun:

A Thermal middle school teacher was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of being under the influence of prescription drugs and alcohol during the school day, officials said.

Administrators at Toro Canyon Middle School reported around 1 p.m. Tuesday that Tonya Neff, 47, was showing signs of intoxication, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

“Our students were safe,” Coachella Valley Unified School District Superintendent Ricardo Medina said. “There was never any threat to the students.”

Note to defense lawyer: "... students were safe ... never any threat to students ..." Why take note of this?

Neff was arrested on suspicion of felony child endangerment ...

True, The Juice is not a criminal lawyer. Still, as an old friend used to say, "it's something to think about." You can read more here.

Could there be a worse use of the one phone call you are allowed from jail? Okay, maybe if you made a bomb threat. But this is right up there. As reported by The Naperville (Illinois) Sun:

Carly A. Houston was taken to the Naperville police station over the weekend, after she allegedly became embroiled in a heated, early morning dispute with a taxicab driver.

A police officer dutifully supplied the 29-year-old Chicago woman with a telephone, instructing her she could make one call to find a relative or friend who could come to the station to post her bail.

Instead, Houston used her call to dial 911, which immediately connected her to Naperville police dispatchers. She pleaded for help, complaining she was "trapped inside the detention facility," police said Monday.

Snap! Trapped in jail ...

[This] earned her another criminal charge ... for making a false 911 report.

It was not a good morning for Ms. Houston:

[Her] troubles began about 1:40 a.m. Sunday, when police were called to the BP service station at 901 N. Washington St., police Cmdr. Mike Anders said.

A cab driver there told police he had picked Houston up near the city's downtown, and that she had instructed him to drive north on Washington Street, Anders said.

When the driver asked for her specific destination, Houston allegedly "yelled, screamed, cursed and extended (both) middle fingers at the cab driver and threatened bodily harm" against him, Anders said. He stopped at the gas station, where employees and patrons were also "alarmed and disturbed" by her reputed behavior, he said.

You can read more, and see a photo of Ms. Houston here.

The clothes belonged to a woman in Tacoma, Washington. As reported by The News Tribune:

A report of a naked woman tied to a tree in the Owen Beach area brought Tacoma police to Point Defiance Park on Tuesday.

I'll bet ...

A witness called 911 and reported seeing the woman, police spokesman Mark Fulghum said. A man was spotted nearby.

Several police officers responded to the park and traffic officers were posted at its entrances and exits, Fulghum said.

The officers talked with the man and woman and determined it was a “consensual rendezvous,” Fulghum said. No arrests were made.

"See you at the tree at noon. Oh, and don't forget the rope ..."

How low can a thief go? Check out this theft, apparently involving three men, as reported in the North Royalton (Ohio) Police Blotter by the Sun Star Courier:

THEFT, STATE ROAD: A Sunoco employee reported the theft of a donation jar at 5:34 p.m. March 8.

The employee said he was assisting another customer with the lottery machine when three men walked in. One picked up a donation jar for missing children and another man stepped in front of security cameras.

But, as it turns out, not soon enough ...

The officer reviewed security footage that captured the man picking up the donation jar containing $31. He recognized the man from previous criminal incidents.

The officer went to the man’s residence and showed the camera footage to the his parents, who admitted it appeared to be their son. He was cited for theft.

Readers, if you can top this, please let The Juice know, and it will be posted, with props to the source.

Well, kind of. A 17-year-old Washington student stood before his class and presented his essay on why marijuana should be legalized. And? Oh no you didn't... Per The News Tribune:

At the end of his speech ... [he] pulled out a joint, lit it and smoked away. Then he ate the remains.

Yes! Victory! He ate it, so you can't ... what's that?

For that he got a quick escort to the school office and then a ride to Remann Hall juvenile jail.

The boy ... was arrested on suspicion of unlawful drug possession, a misdemeanor.

In case you were wondering, he has a 3.7 GPA. To read more (a fair amount), click here.

Are you worse off if you mistext (text the wrong number) or sext? That would depend on what was in the mistext, and who you sent it to. One Mindy Lynn Neugebauer, 26, of Mangum [Oklahoma] would likely go with mistexting. Here's why, per The Altus Times:

According to reports, agent Chris Counts of the Distirct III Drug Task Force received a text message that said, “if you want a hit of this stuff (reference to illegal narcotics) before it is all gone, you better get over here.” He texted back asking the address and got an answer. Counts checked the utility registration and found it to belong to Neugebauer.

Uh oh.

Officers went to the address and told Neugebauer about the text message, and she said she thought she had sent the message to a friend. She said the hits she was talking about were from a blunt marijuana rolled inside a cigar, and that was all she had in the residence.

Hmmm. Admit to something and hope they'll buy it and go away. Successful? Nope.

She allowed officers to search the house where they found a loaded .22 caliber pistol in the bathroom closet, and a small plastic sack containing suspected cocaine under her mattress. A field test determined the presence of cocaine from the powder.

The evidence was submitted to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation laboratory for further testing.

Amazing how a mistyped number can change your life.

A felony warrant was issued for Neugebauer on charges of possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a controlled drug with the intent to distribute. Bond was set at $25,000.

Source: The Altus Times.

Why would you grow your weed outside and risk discovery when you can grow it in your house ... er houses? As an added bonus, you can grow it year round. That's exactly what some folks in New Jersey figured. Per nj.com:

Police uprooted a multimillion-dollar network of homes used to grow marijuana in the largest bust of pot production in New Jersey history... Within three days last month, police seized a total of 3,370 growing plants, 115 pounds of harvested pot and $65,000 cash.

Authorities said the total operation was worth $10 million based on potential output per plant.

Shazam! That's a serious operation. But what about the juice? No, not me, the electricity required to grow all that weed. Isn't that how they catch these folks?

The suspects also bypassed electrical meters to conceal how much power the homes were concealing and steal electricity.

Clever. So what brought this thing down? A lucky break.

The investigation started accidentally on Feb. 17 when Monroe Township Police Officer Thomas Lucasiewicz smelled marijuana coming from the chimney of a home on Spotswood-Englishtown Road. When he knocked, Thu N. Nguyen opened the door, and Lucasiewicz smelled unusable pot plants being burned in the fireplace, authorities said.

Nguyen was arrested and police found 1,064 pot plants growing in the basement and master bedroom.

That was only the beginning, and the bust led to search warrants for five more rented houses in four other towns: Millstone, Old Bridge, Manalapan and Manahawkin.

Five of the homes were being used to grow marijuana. One of the suspects lived in a sixth home, on Hidden Court in Old Bridge, where police seized $60,000 cash and vacuum bags used to package the pot.

You can read more (a fair amount) here.

So this victim had his car window smashed, and his stereo, GPS, and tires stolen. But at least he could get to work on Monday. How, you might wonder? This is clearly one of the stranger crimes The Juice has encountered. Per lancasteronline.com (Pennsylvania):

A thief in Lancaster Township took the time to replace a set of wheels that he took off a vehicle, police said.

A resident of Riverside Avenue reported that a window on his vehicle was shattered overnight Sunday on Ranck Mill Road, police said. The vehicle's four wheels were taken and were replaced with four wheels with worn tires.

A stereo and GPS also were taken, police said. Loss is $850.

Go figure.

A Malaysian woman is almost certainly going to find out. Per The New Straits Times:

[A 28-year-old] woman is facing the death sentence after being caught with 1kg of heroin at an airport in Changsha, central China, last Saturday.

Do you know how much a kilo is? About 2.2 pounds. And it could have been A LOT LESS than that.

The ... woman faces death by lethal injection if convicted as China's Criminal Law stipulates that trafficking of more than 50g of heroin is punishable by death.

50 grams = 1.76 ounces. Here's the source.

So what can Turkish citizens no longer bring back from a trip abroad? If you guessed "an artificially fertilized egg," you're ... right! Per the BBC:

Artificial insemination is already illegal [in Turkey], but women have until now been able to go overseas to seek sperm donors.

Now they will face punishment of one to three years in prison for doing so.

You can read more (a lot) here.

I'm guessing you now know why Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd might care about a traffic sign ... Yup, because the sign was reprogrammed to say:

KEVIN RUDD SUCKS

The Juice is amused. The police, not so much. As reported by The Daily Telegraph:

Police are baffled how they did it but the Prime Minister definitely has a problem in Rose Bay - with a large illuminated traffic sign sending the message: "Kevin Rudd sucks".

The sign, which dramatically appeared overnight on New South Head Road, has proven a traffic stopper.

Locals have been stopping their cars to take photographs - and the sign caused such a distraction that the police were called in at 3am today.

Working hard to preserve the Prime Minister's honour, the dedicated police officers took to the power box powering the sign with bolt cutters to turn off the lights.


Honour? Isn't that shown through deeds? Bolt cutters? Is that how the sign was going to be removed when the road work was done? Go figure. Source: The Daily Telegraph

British hero policeman Andrew Shovelar is on trial for attacking his former girlfriend, a trial which was only supposed to take 8 days, but had wrapped its third week. What's the problem, you're wondering. Well, you see, several of the jurors have to go on holiday. What's a judge to do? Not cancel the trial after 3 weeks, right? Wrong! HE DITCHED THE TRIAL SO A JUROR COULD GO ON HOLIDAY! Said Judge Heath:

It was made plain that she would be on the plane to Portugal.

It is the only realistic decision I can take in the circumstances.

No, my right honorable friend, it is not. It's asinine! Now you know how the juice feels about jury duty. This is insane. What an incredible waste of time and resources! And the new trial? It's set for 6 weeks in January 2008! (To read more, click here.)

What would you do if you were running late for work? Would you stab yourself in the leg, and then report to the police that you were "approached by someone in his 40s who asked for a cigarette, then .. stabbed you?" Maybe you wouldn't, but at least one person would, a 22-year-old Alpine Township (Michigan) man. Per Woodtv.com, after the initial report ...

The man was re-interviewed and admitted to the fabrication. He told police he had overslept and was late, then decided to stab himself and report the incident.

Investigators are in the process of obtaining a warrant for his arrest for the false report of a felony.

Doh! Here's the source.

Surely she didn't mean she literally had a gun there... But, after Ms. Patterson was arrested in Orlando, Florida, when the police asked her if she had any weapons or drugs on her person, here's what she is reported to have said:

“I have a gun in my vagina, you fucking idiot!" [expletive reinserted]

If you're thinking that perhaps she was drunk, you can listen to the 911 tape(it's not real exciting) and judge for yourself. As to how this came to pass, per wftv.com:

A woman called 911 Tuesday night from outside of a nightclub in an attempt to locate her keys. Kelly Patterson was told to leave Pulse nightclub (see map) and given a trespass warning by an employee.

Patterson, officers say, began to shout obscene comments and make gestures towards the employees. She was told a second time to leave the parking lot, but police said she replied by saying. “Fuck you, I need to get my keys from my friend.” [expletive reinserted]

Perhaps this wasn't the best approach. Nevertheless, the police still tried to assist her.

An officer on scene told Patterson he would help her get her keys, but her friends told the officer they did not have her keys. Investigators said she was given four chances to leave property and was told she would be arrested.

It was then that she called 911, shopping for a more sympathetic cop. Not a good idea.

Patterson refused [to leave the property] and called 911, telling the operator that the officer would not give Patterson her keys and to please send out someone to help her. Patterson was arrested and, when asked if she had any weapons or drugs on her person, police said she replied, “I have a gun in my ...

Sure, it's funny, at least through Juice-colored glasses ... Here's the source (with a photo).

A New Jersey man has been charged with soliciting a hit for $20 (and drugs) up front, plus payments after the hit. $20! Fortunately for the intended victim, the would-be hitman was an undercover police officer. From the pages (virtual, that is) of The Jersey Journal) ...

A Union County man is being held at the Hudson County jail in Kearny on charges he offered drugs and a $20 down payment to an undercover police officer in an attempt to recruit him to paralyze or kill a man, officials said.

Abram Soliman, 21, of Elizabeth, was recently indicted on the charges of conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, Union County Prosecutor's Office spokesman John Holl announced today.

In July a 19-year-old Elizabeth man approached Elizabeth police and the Union County Prosecutor's Office claiming Soliman asked him to kill a man, Holl said. They launched an investigation and set up a meeting with Soliman, the informant, and an undercover officer, Holl said.

Soliman first asked the officer "to paralyze this other man," and then changed the request to murder, saying "He wanted this other man to disappear," and offered drugs, cash and loot, officials said.

Should have gone with his gut ..

He said he would make a down payment of $20 and promised installment payments after the murder, officials said. Soliman's gripe against the intended victim apparently stemmed from a drug deal gone bad, Holl said.

$20!

Soliman was arrested shortly after the meeting and has been held in Kearny since then in order to avoid a potential conflict with other inmates at the Union County jail, Holl said. His bail is set at $250,000.

Here's the source.

Assault by ... breast milk, right from the source. Loyal Juice readers will recall a similar incident from across the pond a few years ago. Here's the skinny, from wkyt.com:

A very unusual assault on an officer has more than doubled the trouble for a woman in Owensboro, Kentucky.

Thirty-one-year-old Toni Tramel was arrested Thursday for public intoxication, a misdemeanor. But it's what she did later that has people talking.

As Tramel changed into an inmate uniform, she squirted a stream of breast milk into the face of the female deputy watching over her.

After the deputy decontaminated herself from the bio-hazard, Tramel was charged with third degree assault on a police officer. Her bond was set at ten-thousand dollars due to the felony charge.

Bam! Here's the source.

After 6 years of litigation, everything else was settled in this divorce, which began just 4 months after the birth of the child at the heart of the controversy. Just what is the controversy? Whether the birth mother can prohibit her daughter's stepmother from calling the stepmother "Mum" or a variation thereof. Really. This was the only issue left for a Judge in Australia to decide. Per the Australian:

The woman, who cannot be named, argued that her ex-husband was deliberately undermining her role as their child's mother, by encouraging his new wife to answer to the terms "Mum" and "Mummy" and "Mummy-D" (D being the first letter of the stepmother's first name).

Biological mum's argument:

... the stepmother should not be permitted to refer to herself "as a motherly figure".

Biological dad?

By consent, her ex-husband agreed that his new wife should not be "Mum or "Mummy" but thought "Mummy-D" was fine.

Sounds like a reasonable compromise. Mum?

Ms Klement [mum] was "adamant that the child should only call her Mum" or any variation of "Mum".

Judge, please, put an end to this.

The court declined to make an order that the child not refer to her stepmother as "Mummy-D" in part because the judge was concerned that such an order would lead to further litigation "where it would be up to the court to determine whether the father had breached the order in relation to encouraging the child to use the term Mummy-D".

Well done, sir. Here's the source.

Getting kicked there hurts. How about getting shot there?

A Vallejo teenager allegedly shot himself in the testicles Thursday afternoon, police said.

Police said the 17-year-old, whose name is being withheld because he's a minor, walked into Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center at about 5:45 p.m. with a gunshot wound.

The gun is still outstanding, police said, and the teen has not been cooperative.


Cooperation is probably not at the forefront of this kid's mind right now... Source:
The Oakland Tribune/Times-Herald

There is a law in Japan that forbids the importing of photographs showing male genitals. Why would The Juice know this? No, not because of a recent trip to Japan. Because, returning home from a trip abroad, Japanese publisher Takashi Asai was carrying a book of Mapplethorpe photos that he published in Japan in 1994. Under Japanese law, imported genital photos are illegal. So how did he make the book in the first place? When he brought the negatives in years ago, customs did not check them.

Mr. Asai is challenging the ban. Although he lost in the lower court, he is confident that the Supreme Court will rule in his favor. To see some of Maplethorpe's work, click here.

A crushing blow has been dealt to schoolboys throughout the Indian State of Andhra Pradesh by it's highest court.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday barred the release of a controversial Telugu movie after it allegedly inspired a Warangal schoolteacher to elope with her student.

NO! Oh, sorry.

The ruling came on a public interest litigation alleging that the film High School, said to be woven around a 30-year-old teacher’s love affair with a 13-year-old schoolboy, could have a corrupting influence on students and vitiate the atmosphere in schools.

"Vitiate?" Takes The Juice back to the SATs ...

The petitioner, S. Chakrapani, president of the Warangal Town Consumer Council, also challenged the state censor board’s decision to clear the movie without considering its social impact.

On behalf of teenage boys across Andhra Pradesh: Curse you Mr. Chakrapani!

The film’s plot has been in the news for some time. It is said to have encouraged a 21-year-old teacher and her 15-year-old student to elope and marry by exchanging garlands at a temple in Warangal on February 15.

It's a movie! Not a directive! It is indeed a very slippery slope. And what about this 15-year-old?

B Nagesh, a student of C V Raman High School, told his parents of his marriage with his Hindi teacher D Ramyasri four days later.

Hmmm. Four days later ...

The parents complained to the State Human Rights Commission. Unlike the movie, their marriage was declared null and void.

“This act... on part of the teacher is not only immoral but also illegal,” commission chairperson Justice B Subashan Reddy said

Indeed, but don't blame the movie. The Juice wonders if "Call of Duty" is popular in Andhra Pradesh...

Source: Hindustan Times

Talk about pushing your luck. This is from the Colorado Springs Police Blotter:

Summary: Burglar alarm tripped at 7:25 PM at Dublin address, which is a medical marijuana dispensary. Access made by breaking front, glass door. Suspect gone upon officer arrival. At approximately 7:45 PM a burglary alarm was tripped at 300 W. Garden of the Gods Road, which is also a medical marijuana dispensary. Access was gained by breaking a glass door on the east side of the building. Suspect was gone upon officer arrival.

Keep it rolling, right?

At approximately 8:10 PM a third burglary (in progress) was reported via phone, at 5030 Boardwalk Dr, which is also a medical marijuana dispensary. When officers arrived on scene they found a suspect detained by victim and witness. Evidence found on the suspect linked him to all three burglaries. Adults Arrested: Gary Harrison, Age 45

Doh!

Yes, sir. They're tackling the big problems in Victoria, Australia. Here are a few recently enacted laws:

In Bass Coast shire, families were shocked to learn they needed a $100 permit for children to camp in their own back yards.

Geelong residents can be fined for feeding ducks or throwing stones into a public lake.

In Whittlesea, garage sales can't be advertised until the day of the sale and if the signs aren't removed by the end of the day the seller would get a $234 fine for each sign.

Pigeon keeper Frank de Pasqvale said new times for exercising pigeons in Wyndham would make the birds easy targets for eagles. He said it also would be difficult for owners who had work and personal commitments during those hours.

Controversy surrounding the exercising of pigeons? Who knew. Here's the source, The Herald Sun.

This ad was banned by Australia’s Advertising Standards Bureau after viewer complaints. I'm with Gavin Collins, the managing director of Crazy Domains. He blamed “feminist bloggers” for stirring up the controversy and is fighting the ban.

The Juice won't take all the credit. But ... it has been reported that the South Carolina legislature is considering repealing an insane law requiring subversives to register with the state (and pay a $5 fee!) "... since bloggers picked up on it ..." Here's The Juice's post on this fine law.

South Carolina legislators are looking to repeal a 1951 McCarthy-era law that requires anyone who plans to overthrow the government to register their activities.

Pickens Sen. Larry Martin said Monday the law meant to deter "Reds" has been one more thing making South Carolina look bad since bloggers picked up on it last month and incorrectly said it passed last year.

The "subversive activities registration act" requires any group that advocates controlling or overthrowing the government to pay $5 to file with the state, or face up to a $25,000 fine and 10 years in prison.

A spokeswoman for the secretary of state said that, until February, no one had registered. Now, about 10 have filed, apparently in jest.

A bill to repeal the law is up for debate in a Senate panel this week.

Here's the source, wciv.com.

Check this out, from The New Straits Times (Malaysia):

SEBERANG JAYA: A 35-year-old man involved in alleged khalwat (close proximity) found himself stuck on the roof of a house before he was arrested.

The man had earlier tried to evade a raid by the state Religious Affairs Department by jumping from an apartment unit in Jalan Tuna into an adjacent house at 3.30am on Thursday.

State Islamic Religious Affairs Department assistant operation chief Ibrahim Md Jaki said, however, the man's legs were stuck among the roof tiles after he jumped from the third floor of the apartment.

Ibrahim said the man tried to regain entry into the apartment by clinging to the balcony railings, but could not do so.

"We had no choice but to summon the Fire and Rescue Department personnel to rescue him." The team also detained the man's girlfriend who had locked herself inside a room in the apartment.

Yes, it was a raid by the "Religious Affairs Department." So what exactly is "khalwat?" To find out, click here.