Category: Ignorant or unreasonable

Monster Energy Loses Appeal On Monsta Pizza Trademark Ruling | Techdirt

Monster Energy, maker of caffeinated liquid crank, has a long and legendary history of being roughly the most obnoxious trademark bully on the planet. It faces stiff competition in this arena of bad, of course, but it has always put up quite a fight to win that title. The company either sues or attempts to block trademarks for everything that could even possibly be barely linked to the term “monster” in any way. One such case was its opposition to a trademark registration for Monsta Pizza in the UK. Pizza is, of course, not a beverage, but that didn’t stop Monster Energy from trying to keep the pizza chain from its name. It lost that opposition, with the IPO pointing out that its citizens are not stupid enough to be confused between drinks and pizza.And that should have been the end of the story, except that this is Monster Energy we’re talking about, so of course it appealed its loss. Its grounds for appeal amounted to “Nuh-uh! The public really might be confused!” Thankfully, Monster Energy lost this appeal as well.

Source: Monster Energy Loses Appeal On Monsta Pizza Trademark Ruling | Techdirt

Sheriffs’ Union Boss Says Officers Have No Reason To Do Their Job If They Can’t Score Forfeiture Cash On The Side | Techdirt

If Wells Fargo account reps can’t sign people up for accounts without their knowledge or permission, why should they even show up to help people open accounts or deal with banking issues? If an entrepreneur can’t rope investors into a pyramid scheme, why even bother getting out of bed at 4 am to bathe in the glow of inflated self-worth? Come on, Bruder. How can you be so obtuse?

Jarrod Bruder, the executive director of the South Carolina Sheriff’s Association who frequently lobbies for law enforcement interests at the Statehouse, said that without the incentive of profit from civil forfeiture, officers probably wouldn’t pursue drug dealers and their cash as hard as they do now.If police don’t get to keep the money from forfeiture, “what is the incentive to go out and make a special effort?” Bruder said. “What is the incentive for interdiction?”

Source: Sheriffs’ Union Boss Says Officers Have No Reason To Do Their Job If They Can’t Score Forfeiture Cash On The Side | Techdirt

Mississippi Governor Extends Middle Finger To Constitution On Twitter While Applauding Asset Forfeiture | Techdirt

That conflict [of interest] is on full display in Richland, Miss., where construction of a new $4.1 million law enforcement training facility was funded entirely by forfeiture proceeds garnered by police in Richland—a town of just 7,000 people. A sign in the building’s window boasts: “Richland Police Station tearfully donated by drug dealers.”

Source: Mississippi Governor Extends Middle Finger To Constitution On Twitter While Applauding Asset Forfeiture | Techdirt

Portland Officer Gregg Lewis Tells Cops to Shoot Black People

According to the Oregonian, on Feb. 12, three days after Hayes was killed, Sergeant Gregg Lewis was instructing Portland Police Department’s Central Command on how to place civil holds on intoxicated suspects and take them to a detox center. Lewis explained that they should determine their actions based on the kind of person they encountered. As he explained what they should do when they encountered a drunk person in a suit and tie versus when they encounter a homeless person, someone noted that people were still mad about the extrajudicial killing of Quanice Hayes, so they should be careful, to which Lewis apparently responded:

“If they are black, just shoot them.”

Isn’t that just hilarious?

Source: Portland Officer Gregg Lewis Tells Cops to Shoot Black People

Here’s what the Sacklers didn’t want you to see in the OxyContin lawsuit | Ars Technica

From 2007 to 2018, the Sacklers paid themselves more than $4B from opioid sales.

Source: Here’s what the Sacklers didn’t want you to see in the OxyContin lawsuit | Ars Technica

Guy Who Forged A Court Order To Delist Content Issues More Bogus Takedown Notices To Remove Posts Discussing His Forgery | Techdirt

The wholly-expected has occurred as a result of Eugene Volokh’s exposure of bogus takedown demands targeting unflattering content — like criminal complaints and factual news articles detailing criminal acts. The Volokh Conspiracy has been targeted by two bogus takedown requests by the same party who engaged in the bogus takedown requests Volokh previously wrote about.

Source: Guy Who Forged A Court Order To Delist Content Issues More Bogus Takedown Notices To Remove Posts Discussing His Forgery | Techdirt

Damning court docs show just how far Sacklers went to push OxyContin | Ars Technica

Secretive, wealthy Sackler family is at the heart of the opioid crisis, lawsuit alleges.

Source: Damning court docs show just how far Sacklers went to push OxyContin | Ars Technica

Metal Band Bans Photographer After Copyright Clash – TorrentFreak

Metal band Arch Enemy has banned photographer J. Salmeron from shooting any future gigs. The band’s management was not amused when he alerted a clothing sponsor about the unauthorized use of his work. Apparently, the band sees ‘exposure’ as sufficient compensation. But what about people who pirate their latest album?

Source: Metal Band Bans Photographer After Copyright Clash – TorrentFreak

Israel Tampered With Video of Deadly Attack, Investigators Say

A PAINSTAKING RECONSTRUCTION of a series of Israeli airstrikes that killed two Palestinian boys on the roof of a building in Gaza City this summer suggests that Israel’s military tampered with its own surveillance footage of the attack, possibly to conceal evidence that the children were visible to the drone pilots who carried out what were supposed to be nonlethal “warning strikes.”

Source: Israel Tampered With Video of Deadly Attack, Investigators Say

Game Developer Admits It Filed Bogus Copyright Claims, But Says It Had No Other Way To Silence A Critic | Techdirt

If you can’t stand the heat, whip out the DMCA notices, I guess. Earlier this week, in response to criticism, a game developer hit a YouTuber with dozens of bogus DMCA claims. “Eroktic,” who has posted several videos of him playing Battlestate Games’ multiplayer shooter “Escape from Tarkov,” was on the receiving end of nearly 50 claims.Rather than pretend this is about copyright by claiming it didn’t give Eroktic permission to use footage of its game, the Russian developer has been surprisingly open about its abuse of the DMCA system. Comments given to Polygon’s Charlie Hall show Battlestate is well aware it’s misusing YouTube’s copyright claim process, but says that’s the only way it can protect its good name.

Source: Game Developer Admits It Filed Bogus Copyright Claims, But Says It Had No Other Way To Silence A Critic | Techdirt