In today's news...

[Dragontear]

Re: In today's news...

Well at least on the side...

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Aayyeeeeeee!
Huzzah!
Spiffing news!

About bloody time, not the only drugs company to artificially inflate their prices, with some types of drugs, including cancer and other related illnesses, some cost about a £100 a batch to create.

Our National Health Service pays something like £150,1000 ish for such drugs.

Per pop.

They cite 'research and development' as the main costs, understandable you'd be right to say except... it's been shown recently, most major drugs companies spend over half of their budges on marketing alone.

/british dragon rant.

 

[XSI]

Re: In today's news...

Don't forget that a lot of this 'research' they claim to have been doing is actually done in government funded universities, using government grants for healthcare

A whole lot of pharma companies just mooch off other people's work

 

[Changer]

Re: In today's news...

Could not have happened to a nicer guy. It's only too bad the price he couldn't be hit directly for the price gouging.

 

[dmronny]

Re: In today's news...

I wouldn't exactly call this a news story, but this still seems the most appropriate place to post it since I did come across it on a news site.

That being said I have never felt such a gamut of emotions from reading a new story. Disgust at the perpetrator of the crime, sorrow for the victims, pride at the work of the police who solved the crime, and anger at the police who ignored the crime. I was even happy at the end when justice was finally served, though the justice did feel immensely tainted by the anger I still felt for the useless cops.

I've never personally known anyone who has been raped, at least so far as I know. Statistically speaking I probably know several and this leaves me feeling...well I don't really know how it makes me feel. I simply don't have the word right now to describe how I feel about knowing that people are afraid to report a crime for numerous reasons. Perhaps sick or impotent, or some combination of the two, I really can't say.

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[Hopeyouguess62]

Re: In today's news...

I'm rather angry about a

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.

Cue rant:

Spoiler

So a sixteen year-old Texan teenager was drunk-driving with his buddies. His vehicle killed four people (one stranded motorist and three "good Samaritans"), and caused injuries to the rest of the car occupants (one of them has permanent brain damage, although the fact that he was in the car with his drunk pal driving suggests to me that his head was already only used as a hat rack).

Apparently his lawyers successfully used a defense based on a disorder known as "affluenza" (a disorder that is not recognized by any reputable psychological institution), claiming that he was so rich and so spoiled that he didn't know right from wrong. His lawyers might be correct, as the teenager never even attempted to make any sort of apology to the bereaved families. Someone who knows right-from-wrong, or even what's-good-for-themselves, knows to apologize after killing people whilst driving drunk.

Evidently his family is filthy-rich (the father was pulled over at one point and told the cop that he made more in one day than the cop made in a year, or something like that), and I guess they paid off the judge, because the teenager only got probation for the four counts of manslaughter.

Shortly after that, someone posted a video of the same teenager, after the accident, drinking at a beer pong event.

Now they've caught the teen and his mother in Mexico. The teen's dyed his hair black to escape notice. The Mexican authorities are transferring him back to the US to face charges for violating his probation.

First thought: Was probation really THAT BAD? Bad enough to warrant fleeing to Mexico and risking prison?

Second thought: This just goes to show that we still have a long way to go, in establishing "Justice for All" in this country. Of course, corruption isn't a problem limited to the US, but the wealthy are often able to grease palms and avoid legal difficulties even after the most heinous crimes.

Third thought: I REALLY hope this teen goes to prison. In my opinion, he AND his over-indulging parents should have gone to prison a long time ago.

Final thought: Actually prison is too good for these people. They need to go on a tour of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory and have something horrible happen to them. Then Gene Wilder can say something witty, and the Oompa-Loompas can explain the karmic re-balancing via song and dance.

 

[MrMe]

Re: In today's news...

Music has had a great loss today:

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RIP Lemmy.

 

[Hentaispider]

Re: In today's news...

Apparently his lawyers successfully used a defense based on a disorder known as "affluenza" (a disorder that is not recognized by any reputable psychological institution), claiming that he was so rich and so spoiled that he didn't know right from wrong.

If anything, that should mean HARDER sentence, not easier. That, or a long stay in psych ward.

 

[super_slicer]

Re: In today's news...

We could always bring back pitchfork carrying mobs? Never a more worthy monster than a man that perceives himself above humanity.

 

[Changer]

Re: In today's news...

Does it really count as "successfully arguing" affluenza if the judge was so blatantly bribed? I'd be more inclined to just call that "Successfully bribed the judge"

 

[Hopeyouguess62]

Re: In today's news...

Does it really count as "successfully arguing" affluenza if the judge was so blatantly bribed? I'd be more inclined to just call that "Successfully bribed the judge"

Sadly, there's no actual evidence of bribery beyond the extremely lenient sentence--and I'm forced to call it a successful argument, regardless of other circumstances that were very likely to have occurred.

The judge has taken offense at the media's characterization of the case, as apparently it wasn't the "affluenza" argument that swayed her decision so much as the father's offer to send the son to a $450,000/year California waterfront rehabilitation community (and spa), so that he can recover. She argues that the parents are rich enough to be able to rehabilitate the lad more productively than a state-run institution.

Of course, there are other cases on her record where she gave 10-year sentences to offenders who did NOT have wealthy parents.

 

[MrMe]

Re: In today's news...

Well yeah, those peasants can't afford luxury isolation camps where no poor are allowed.

Better to let them get arse raped by bubba.



Its pretty laughable the amount of political corruption there is in america when you consider the war for independence was to get away from corrupt politicians.

 

[XSI]

Re: In today's news...

So basically, Mexico has a caste system now
If you're rich, you don't even have to go to the same prison as the peasantry
You just go to a 'rehabilitation spa'

 

[Hopeyouguess62]

Re: In today's news...

Its pretty laughable the amount of political corruption there is in america when you consider the war for independence was to get away from corrupt politicians.

I view this more as an isolated incident (which is why I considered it news, not routine). Corruption's certainly a problem in the US, but at least here we're free to complain about it. There ARE places in the world where journalists would get harassed, jailed, or executed for even publishing a story about corruption. You might want to take a gander at the

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by Transparency International.

If you want to view it from the perspective of our original colonial system under British rule, I'd still say we're doing quite well. After all, our founding fathers started their revolution as gentlemen who were trying to defend their rights as English land-owning citizens. The original US was an excellent model for a democratic republic, but only if you were a white, male, land-owning citizen. There have been significant advances in civil rights and individual liberties since then (I don't think John Adams would have DREAMED that we'd permit same-sex marriage, given the sensibilities of the time).

tl;dr The US does have corruption problems, but so do most modern states.

So basically, Mexico has a caste system now
If you're rich, you don't even have to go to the same prison as the peasantry
You just go to a 'rehabilitation spa'

Actually this was a US court case... but given the public outrage, it's a rather embarrassing incident for our criminal justice system.

Also, the offender is apparently trying to stay in Mexico now, delaying his return to the US (where he might face up to 120 days for violating his parole). I have to confess, I'm appalled at how easy this guy has had it, given that he's killed four people and given a fifth permanent brain damage (one of his buddies in the bed of his truck can no longer move or speak).

 

[freeko]

Re: In today's news...

Look up PINAC, Photography Is Not A Crime on youtube. Watch how corrupt the police officers are as they blatantly trample the constitution over and over again.

Political corruption starts at the municipal level of the simple town and works its way up and gets worse as the scope of the politician enlarges. I had to deal with dirty politicians almost condemning my house because I did not get a permit to change two smaller rooms into one larger room.

Permits of course are for commercial work, I am not doing commercial work and therefore do not need a permit. That did not stop the town goonery from paying me a visit to just about force me into obtaining a permit to finish the work I was doing. I literally had to teach them the very laws they supposedly are enforcing.

All that they care about anymore is harassing and fining the masses so that they can sustain their corruption. I am almost about at that point where I will teach you peasants how to get out of almost every municipal court issue ever so that these thieves are destroyed by their own corruption.

By the letter of the law it astounds me how many things are listed as violations, but are not actually a crime. Of course all they want you to do is make a deal with the prosecutor so they can get some money from you with out having to put forth the effort of building a case or presenting non-existent evidence.

Welcome to America, last one out please remember to turn off the lights.

 

[Hopeyouguess62]

Re: In today's news...

Look up PINAC, Photography Is Not A Crime on youtube. Watch how corrupt the police officers are as they blatantly trample the constitution over and over again.

...something something something widespread corruption something...

All that they care about anymore is harassing and fining the masses so that they can sustain their corruption. I am almost about at that point where I will teach you peasants how to get out of almost every municipal court issue ever so that these thieves are destroyed by their own corruption.

...something something something America blows and I'll complain but I'm not leaving...

You're mistaking idiocy for corruption, with the PINAC videos. As an example, the school resource officers (SROs) aren't accepting dirty money to beat up kids. They're handling kids roughly, either because they're poorly-trained or because they have a legitimate reason to see the kid as a threat. Personally I suspect the reason varies. Bear in mind that a decade ago we were looking at a rash of school shootings in the US. Everyone wants to think the kids are completely harmless... until the day that they aren't. Still, in most cases I'd say it's lack of training and poor judgment on the part of the officers.

As far as your offer to train us... I say "Yes, please!" Enlighten us on how we may destroy the system using your Freeko Legal Techniques. Please be as specific as possible, and really dig into the details--I may just be a peasant, but I want to start winning court cases right away.

 

[Antithetical Inquiry]

Re: In today's news...

You're mistaking idiocy for corruption, with the PINAC videos. As an example, the school resource officers (SROs) aren't accepting dirty money to beat up kids. They're handling kids roughly, either because they're poorly-trained or because they have a legitimate reason to see the kid as a threat. Personally I suspect the reason varies. Bear in mind that a decade ago we were looking at a rash of school shootings in the US. Everyone wants to think the kids are completely harmless... until the day that they aren't. Still, in most cases I'd say it's lack of training and poor judgment on the part of the officers.

As far as your offer to train us... I say "Yes, please!" Enlighten us on how we may destroy the system using your Freeko Legal Techniques. Please be as specific as possible, and really dig into the details--I may just be a peasant, but I want to start winning court cases right away.

I'm looking forward to Freeko's newest thread about his county/municipality's specific laws.

 

[Caulder]

Re: In today's news...

As far as your offer to train us... I say "Yes, please!" Enlighten us on how we may destroy the system using your Freeko Legal Techniques. Please be as specific as possible, and really dig into the details

But...Why? He's incapable of telling the truth or making a rational argument.

 

[Hopeyouguess62]

Re: In today's news...

But...Why? He's incapable of telling the truth or making a rational argument.

Rubbish. Freeko never tells a lie! Freeko has a reputation beyond a reputation beyond repute, and his integrity and balanced reasoning are rock-solid. The only reason his reputation went red is because you can't have twelve green bars--it broke the forum a little, and he got flipped into negative numbers. I'm sure it'll be eleven green bars again by the end of next week.

 

[freeko]

Re: In today's news...

why would you think I am talking about only the latest PINAC videos? Pretty much pick almost any one of his first amendment audit videos ever and you will see how easily that government tramples all over the code of laws that they are sworn to uphold.

You can destroy pretty much any police officer on the stand by asking two questions. Though it is more fun to have the judge commit perjury by exposing every word coming out of his mouth as being a lie. Most importantly the presumption of innocence. Ask about jurisdiction, which is an element of the crime committed and the judge will say that it is assumed that the court has jurisdiction over you.

But wait a second, how can the court have jurisdiction over you and also have the presumption of innocence until proven guilty? The judge without any evidence provided has already declared your guilt on one aspect of the crime. Think it will take actual evidence for him to find you guilty on anything else?

The courts, the IRS, and pretty much every other form of government flunkie presume they have jurisdiction over you. Make them prove it.

I will give you a hint: They cannot.

 

[Hopeyouguess62]

Re: In today's news...

why would you think I am talking about only the latest PINAC videos? Pretty much pick almost any one of his first amendment audit videos ever and you will see how easily that government tramples all over the code of laws that they are sworn to uphold.

You can destroy pretty much any police officer on the stand by asking two questions. Though it is more fun to have the judge commit perjury by exposing every word coming out of his mouth as being a lie. Most importantly the presumption of innocence. Ask about jurisdiction, which is an element of the crime committed and the judge will say that it is assumed that the court has jurisdiction over you.

But wait a second, how can the court have jurisdiction over you and also have the presumption of innocence until proven guilty? The judge without any evidence provided has already declared your guilt on one aspect of the crime. Think it will take actual evidence for him to find you guilty on anything else?

The courts, the IRS, and pretty much every other form of government flunkie presume they have jurisdiction over you. Make them prove it.

I will give you a hint: They cannot.

I knew you'd be able to give me a plausible answer that makes sense. Thank you for this detailed legal education. Now I can skip law school and start owning judges.