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unicorn

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Posts posted by unicorn

  1. A family of a deceased airman is suing because a sheriff's deputy shot him while answering the call. At first, it sounds pretty bad, but then on reviewing the deputy's body camera, the deputy can be heard screaming twice "Sheriff's office. Open the door!", and it clearly shows the late airman with a gun/pistol in his right hand. I don't know what the police policies are, and it may be the case that the deputy is mostly culpable, but is there a single member on this forum who'd state that if he were answering the door to someone who identified himself as coming from the sheriff's department, he'd come with a gun in his hand? The relevant footage starts at 3:40:

     

  2. 11 hours ago, Draden said:

    Not taking sides one way or the other on the underlying issue here, however, technically Defamation is only a criminal offense in 17 U.S. states. And even in those states, it can only be criminally prosecuted in narrow cases (generally involving malicious and false accusations of sexual immorality) and rarely is ever actually prosecuted.  In the rest of the U.S., Defamation is a matter for civil litigation. 

    If this restaurant were in the U.S. it would probably have a good case for a tortious interference lawsuit provided it could prove the individual conspired with other people to leave reviews, knowing they'd never eaten there, and with the objective of interfering with the commercial success of the business. 

    Yes, thanks for pointing out that something can be illegal due to violations of civil code, not simply criminal code. In California, defamation is a violation of civil code, but one cannot go to jail for this:

    https://www.shouselaw.com/ca/personal-injury/harm-to-reputation/defamation/

    "Defamation is an invasion of the interest in reputation. Under California law, it is a broad term for false statements made that cause damage to someone’s good standing. California Civil Code (Cal. Civ. Code) §44 states that defamation is affected by either libel or slander. If a statement is made verbally, it is slander. If made in writing, it is libel. Cal. Civ. Code §45 and Cal. Civ. Code §46 provide the definitions for both libel and slander. In some states, libel can sometimes be charged as a crime and be punishable by a fine and jail time. However, in California, people who have been defamed are limited to their right to recover damages in a civil lawsuit...". 

    In Thailand, defamation can result in criminal penalties:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defamation#Criminal_7

    "The Thai Criminal Code provides that:

    Section 326. Defamation

    Whoever, imputes anything to the other person before a third person in a manner likely to impair the reputation of such other person or to expose such other person to be hated or scorned, is said to commit defamation, and shall be punished with imprisonment not exceeding one year or fined not exceeding twenty thousand Baht, or both.".

    One can certainly debate whether defaming someone should result in possible jail time. However, I believe only a madman would argue that defamation shouldn't subject the defamer to any legal consequences. 

  3. 3 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

    ... Defamation  should not be a criminal offence

    Defamation is illegal almost everywhere (including the US, Canada, and, I'd venture to guess, all of Europe), as well it should be. You really think it should be OK to spread lies about someone or his business and not have to suffer consequences? Thankfully, very few people think similarly. I have a strong feeling that you'd be quite upset if someone did that to you. Making factually incorrect statements for malicious reasons is, and should be, punishable by law, probably in most, perhaps all, jurisdictions. It has zero to do with freedom of speech, and I suspect you know this.

  4. 7 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

    Another example of the crazy legal system in Thailand!

    Actually, hurray for the Thai legal system. These obviously fake reviews were defamatory, malicious, and spiteful, lowering the business's ranking from a stellar 4.9 to a dubious 3.1--all because the restaurant owner didn't allow the Brit free use of the restaurant's private property. I hope the restaurant owner gets compensated fairly. And I hope they're able to track down the source of the other fake reviews, and take action against them as well. Freedom of speech isn't a freedom to lie and defame others. 

  5. 5 hours ago, caeron said:

     

    It seems perfectly reasonable to me to have someone who can help the actors walkthrough and negotiate a scene. I imagine all the male posters here have never had the experience of being groped or raped...

    It sounds as though you'd be surprised. I got forcibly fondled and groped by my gym teacher when I was 12. I reported the episode immediately. At my 20-year reunion, I found out he did that with a number of other boys. I obviously understand actors need direction with each scene. My surprise was that a director (especially a female director with a university degree in directing) couldn't take care of it--especially since this was simply an opera with only a few kissing scenes (nothing really intimate). I understand the need in some movies, etc., but--really?--a 19th century Verdi opera?

  6. 20 hours ago, reader said:

    ...

    To cope with these feelings, a large number of Thai people have turned to ... lucky charms...

     

    Changing what one eats for breakfast won't help any more than any other of those silly activities. 🙄🦄

    Lucky Charms, Gluten Free Cereal with Marshmallows, With Leprechaun Trap,  Large Size, 14.9 OZ

  7. The AZ vaccine was never approved in the US. To be put in context:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embolic_and_thrombotic_events_after_COVID-19_vaccination

    "The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) reporting regards AZD1222 to 3 November 2021, recording 73 deaths out of 425 cases (17%) in the context of 24.9 million first doses administered." The increased risk seems to be seen mainly in women on birth control pills. Of course, the original strain of the virus had much higher risks of blood clots. Now that the virus is no more serious than a regular cold, there seems little reason to use the AZ vaccine (or Janssen), since the Moderna and Pfizer don't seem to have that problem, as low as the risk is. 

  8. I enjoyed this ambiguously bisexual movie, though it felt a little long. I guess that the two male leads were pretty good eye candy. I don't know if this movie had an "Intimacy director,"but there were ample sex scenes. I'm curious, if there are any bi or straight men on this forum, an opinion as to whether or not Zendaya is an attractive woman. I would think she'd have to be to play this role, but it seemed to me that she had pretty small tits, and I though that in women, big tits were among the features which most attract straight and bi men. I do have some straight friends, but it would be awkward to ask, as the men are married to other women. 

  9. 1 hour ago, Marc in Calif said:

    Yes! You've never noticed it before...

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intimacy_coordinator

    Well, according to that Wikipedia page, these positions are a fairly new development, developed in the aftermath of the Weinstein scandal:

    "...In October 2018, television network HBO adopted a policy of using intimacy coordinators for all its series and films with intimate scenes. Intimacy coordinators and workshops teaching best practices for intimate scenes began being used in London theaters in 2018. In January 2019, Netflix released Sex Education, its first production that used an intimacy coordinator, Ita O'Brien."

    They may have just started using them at the LA Opera. It seems especially silly and wasteful to have such people at the opera (these are not exactly racy scenes), but I suppose the function is to shield the director from liability. More $$$ down the drain. 

  10. 2 hours ago, reader said:

    So you lapped up union benefits for thee plus decades but now choose to bad mouth vehicle that made it possible?

    Obviously, I believe collective bargaining is important. I worked hard at my job, and my union never abused their functions. 

     

  11. 20 hours ago, xpaulo said:

    ...House parties almost always end up centred in the kitchen in Canada, especially for younger people and I'm curious if that's pretty much the same around the world.

    In my experience, usually the living room, though people go to the kitchen to get a lot of their drinks, especially the refrigerated drinks like coolers.

    White Claw Hard Seltzer Variety Pack 12 pk Cans - Flavor Collection No. 3

  12. 4 hours ago, reader said:

    ...Those who see division of labor as '"union bullshit" are invariably among those who've never been a union member...

    Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. Factually wrong. I was a union member for my entire career (30+ years).

    No you're wrong, just sit there in your wrongness and be wrong - Fascinated  Frog - quickmeme

    invariably word on red keyboard button 7611006 Stock Photo at Vecteezy

  13. Last week, we attended an LA Opera production of La Traviata, and I noticed in the program a title I've never seen before, "Intimacy Director." Have I just never noticed this before, or is this some kind of new position? I'm not sure what these people are supposed to do. Help only with the kissing scenes? The kissing did seem fine with that performance, but is this really something that the regular directors aren't trained to direct when they go to directing school or whatever? Or is this just wasteful featherbedding? In any case, aren't opera singers usually judged on their singing skills, and maybe acting--but kissing? I've never seen an opera review in which the critic commented on the singer's kissing skills. 

    Here are their LA Opera webpages:

    https://www.laopera.org/about-us/artists-2/creative-team/sara-widzer/

    https://www.laopera.org/about-us/artists-2/creative-team/shawna-lucey/

    Is Shawna Lucey somehow a capable director, who somehow lacks the skills to direct intimate scenes? It does look from their webpages that Ms. Widzer has an MM (a Master's degree), whereas Ms. Lucey has only a bachelor's degree. Would directing intimate scenes only be taught in graduate school? If so, why can't Ms. Widzer just do all the directing? Someone correct me if my first impressions are wrong, but this seems like a lot of union bullshit to me. 

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