A group of US record labels agreed to drop a music piracy case in the US after the alleged file-sharer argued that it could not be proved that she downloaded any illegal music. The case may set a precedent that undermines scores of other music piracy cases.
Tammie Marson of Palm Desert, California refused to pay the initial $3,500 demanded by a group of record labels and opted to fight the case in court. Marson and her lawyer Seyamack Kouretchian of Coast Law Group argued that the fact that Marson's computer contained illegal music files downloaded over her internet connection was not proof that she had committed a crime.
The record companies – Virgin, Sony BMG, Arista, Universal and Warner Brothers – agreed to dismiss the case and pay their own legal costs.
Friday, August 04, 2006
0 comments 0 commentsThursday, August 03, 2006
0 commentsUPenn trains officers to detect precrimes, just like in Minority Report. UPenn and Tom Cruise still suck
Criminologists will work with probation officers in a new unit that will try to spot offenders already under criminal justice system supervision who are most likely to commit homicides, and head off future killings.
University of Pennsylvania experts will train a five-officer Homicide Prevention Unit that will review tens of thousands of cases looking for potential killers, and provide them with intensified supervision and treatment.
"If we can pinpoint these needles in the haystack and help them turn their lives around, we might well help to make Philadelphia a safer city," said Lawrence W. Sherman, director of the university's Jerry Lee Center of Criminology, which is providing half of the $1 million in funding for the unit. The rest of the money comes from the city and state.
University of Pennsylvania experts will train a five-officer Homicide Prevention Unit that will review tens of thousands of cases looking for potential killers, and provide them with intensified supervision and treatment.
"If we can pinpoint these needles in the haystack and help them turn their lives around, we might well help to make Philadelphia a safer city," said Lawrence W. Sherman, director of the university's Jerry Lee Center of Criminology, which is providing half of the $1 million in funding for the unit. The rest of the money comes from the city and state.
How to eat with chopsticks
Do you love Asian food, but want the full experience by eating it as it was meant to be eaten--with chopsticks? Watching others using chopsticks can make it look so easy, but when you try it, you end up asking for a fork. Here's how to say goodbye to that fork for good and put those chospticks to work!
Sunday, July 16, 2006
0 commentsWhy do I still live here?
Deadly gunshots ripped throughout the city yesterday, sending police detectives to neighborhoods too used to violence, and shocking others not accustomed to finding dead bodies on their streets.
In the end, five people lay dead of gunshot wounds in one of the four deadliest days in Philadelphia this year. All were young males, most African American. It is a familiar story for the city that has recorded 209 homicides this year and is on pace to meet the 380 killings of last year.
"Overwhelming" and "absolutely mind-boggling" are the words that Police Department spokesman Raul Malveiro used to describe the number of killings yesterday.
In the end, five people lay dead of gunshot wounds in one of the four deadliest days in Philadelphia this year. All were young males, most African American. It is a familiar story for the city that has recorded 209 homicides this year and is on pace to meet the 380 killings of last year.
"Overwhelming" and "absolutely mind-boggling" are the words that Police Department spokesman Raul Malveiro used to describe the number of killings yesterday.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
0 commentsTuesday, July 11, 2006
0 commentsKilladelphia: This is desirable?
Keeping monthly homicide statistics can be like watching a horse race.
They're ahead. They're behind. They're neck and neck. But there are no winners. Only losers.
As of June 30, 184 people had lost their lives in Philadelphia, victims of homicides. That's eight more than in the first six months of 2005.
They're ahead. They're behind. They're neck and neck. But there are no winners. Only losers.
As of June 30, 184 people had lost their lives in Philadelphia, victims of homicides. That's eight more than in the first six months of 2005.
Philadelphia = 14th most desirable city to live in
Well, here's some news heard outside City Hall: Philadelphia has a way to go toward persuading the young, mobile and educated to unpack and call the City of Brotherly Love home.
A recently released survey asked 1,000 college-educated 25- to 34-year-olds where they would prefer to live, and Philadelphia did not make the top 10.
But it did make the top 20.
A recently released survey asked 1,000 college-educated 25- to 34-year-olds where they would prefer to live, and Philadelphia did not make the top 10.
But it did make the top 20.
Free Slurpee Day
Supposedly there might be free slurpees at 7-Eleven today since it's 7/11. So, go check it out just in case.
Monday, July 10, 2006
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Bacon cereal
It's been well over a year since my Ultimate Bacon Sandwich waged assault on my arteries and I was past due for another bacon creation. I originally intended to visit the grocery store so I could make a wedge salad, but when I saw the 2 for 1 sale on all Oscar Mayer bacon products, I knew it was a sign from the bacon gods. The best parts of a wedge salad are the bacon bits and blue cheese dressing, so why not trim the fat? Pun fully intended. Warm up your skillet and read on.
The big religious chart
Please read this first: The ReligionFacts Big Religion Chart is an attempt to summarize all the complexities of religions and belief systems into tiny little boxes on a single, quick-reference comparison chart. As we always warn with our comparison charts, this is no substitute for reading about religions in greater detail. But this religon comparison chart can (hopefully) be a useful and accessible way to "get the gist" of some unfamiliar groups and compare basic beliefs and practices of the world's religions.
