Luminiferous Æther

As someone who has been stopped, repeatedly, in London by the police for taking photos, this short documentary really hit home for me. The film maker is shooting pedestrian video shots in Oxford Circus when a police officer stops him. The officer shoves the man on camera then claims he didn’t. The officer tells him he can’t video tape on the street when the law says you can and finally tells the man that because he isn’t a tourist that he can be arrested for ‘behaving suspiciously’ and then to ‘shut up.’ It’s completely despicable.

[Click here to see ‘You Can’t Picture This’]

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Header photograph by pointnshoot

Story via Boing Boing

Lawrence Lessig, hero of the copyright wars, and recent crusader against corruption, might be running for congress. He’s put together a 10 minute video on his new website with his initial ideas and campaign promises. Currently he’s gauging support, so head over and voice your thoughts.

[Click here for the Lessig08 site]

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Story via Boing Boing

Header photograph by maderacanto

Amazingly, polygamy is now quasi-legal in Britain under special circumstances. From the article:

Ministers have decided that, even though bigamy is a crime in Britain, polygamous marriages can be recognized formally by the state - provided they took place overseas, in countries where they are legal.

The outcome will chiefly benefit Muslim men with more than one wife.

A Muslim man with four spouses - which is permitted under Islamic law - could receive £10,000 a year in income support alone. He could also be entitled to more generous housing and council tax benefit, to reflect the fact his household needs a bigger property.

Ministers estimate that up to a thousand polygamous partnerships exist in Britain, although they admit there is no exact record.

Potentially, the benefits bill for income support could reach £10m.

This is a frustrating hypocrisy on the part of the government. Either polygamy should be legal and available for all British citizens or it shouldn’t be legal for any. Making exceptions does not a just government make.

While the article focuses on the large British Islamic population, we can’t forget about those wacky mormons either.

[Click here for the full article]

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Story via neatorama

Header photograph by babasteve

A political mashup that hits the nail on the head: Hillary Clinton as Tracy Flick.

Don’t forget to vote for Obama tomorrow.

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Story via Search Engine