Solar Freakin Roadways

[russ]

Last I heard, the right to make fun of politicians was pretty fundamental to free speech rights under the first amendment.

We fought a war of independence in order to secure that right (among others) from the British. We also fought a cold war against a repressive communist empire which wanted to deny those rights to its citizens and others.

Maybe you missed that day of history class.

I have agreed making fun of public personalities is considered OK.

I do not see lying about companies to try to make them look bad is OK.

Your history class story is total BS.

[pleppik]

"we fought a few wars (both hot and cold) over this issue." - You and Obama smoke the same stuff? Something is interfering with your thought process.

Last I heard, the right to make fun of politicians was pretty fundamental to free speech rights under the first amendment.

We fought a war of independence in order to secure that right (among others) from the British. We also fought a cold war against a repressive communist empire which wanted to deny those rights to its citizens and others.

Maybe you missed that day of history class.

[inetdog]

I never claimed the system worked perfectly. IMHO and IANAL, those laws won't stand up to a court challenge.

Sadly, so far they have stood up to court challenges in all the states where they have been enacted.
Just fighting them in court takes money a lot of folks do not have.

[pleppik]

No, instead you live in a place where a politician can be parodied or even slandered freely but a consumer advocate can be sued for "agricultural disparagement" for saying a food item is unhealthy. Of course that is only the law in a few (~13) states, from opposite ends of the political spectrum, all the way from California to Texas.

I never claimed the system worked perfectly. IMHO and IANAL, those laws won't stand up to a court challenge.

[russ]

Guys..

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/solar-roadways

It is still a stupid idea but it will get some greens all wet and excited.

Solar cells have to be clean with a proper surface - roads do not qualify - walking paths either. As someone said, use them for a large carport type cover.

[cph15]

Guys..

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/solar-roadways

[inetdog]

So you would rather live in a place where a comedian could be arrested or sued for making jokes about a politician?

No, instead you live in a place where a politician can be parodied or even slandered freely but a consumer advocate can be sued for "agricultural disparagement" for saying a food item is unhealthy. Of course that is only the law in a few (~13) states, from opposite ends of the political spectrum, all the way from California to Texas.

One of the features of most of those laws is that it lowers the bar for action by relieving the plaintiff of the burden of proving that the statements were false, instead in some cases actually requiring the defendant to prove that the statements were scientifically provable. (A high standard indeed!). Also removing the common law element that the defendant had to be aware that the statements were false or to show a malicious or reckless disregard for the possible falsity of the statements.

G'nite....

[russ]

So you would rather live in a place where a comedian could be arrested or sued for making jokes about a politicics. I see no reason for some brainless fool to be allowed to smirch the name of a company when it has not done what he claims. Politicians and public personalities are on their own - totally different.

To each his own, I suppose. But that's not for me. I seem to recall that we fought a few wars (both hot and cold) over this issue.

"we fought a few wars (both hot and cold) over this issue." - You and Obama smoke the same stuff? Something is interfering with your thought process.

[pleppik]

That is pure BS - one of the reasons I don't live there anymore. I am tired of the PC garbage and lowest common denominator attitude.

So you would rather live in a place where a comedian could be arrested or sued for making jokes about a politician?

To each his own, I suppose. But that's not for me. I seem to recall that we fought a few wars (both hot and cold) over this issue.

[Alaska Man]

I would love to have my driveway, turn around, paths, etc made out of the Road Panels. No more shoveling, lighted walks in the winter. Hell even the side walks in town and train platforms would work. Just depends on the cost.

[russ]

Same thing. You can pretty much mock anyone you want to here in the U S of A, and corporations get about the same level of deference as public figures. Which is to say, almost none. I think this is a Very Good Thing, and I don't want to live in a place where we're not free to make fun of our leaders and institutions.

A few years ago there were a couple of guys who actually held fake news conferences and published fake press releases pretending to be representing big companies who suddenly had an attack of conscience (example: "GE Responds to Public Outcry – Will Donate Entire $3.2 Billion Tax Refund to Help Offset Cuts and Save American Jobs." This was actually reported as true by the AP).

Even if one of the companies had sued (which they didn't, because none of them were that dumb), they would have been almost guaranteed to lose big time.

That is pure BS - one of the reasons I don't live there anymore. I am tired of the PC garbage and lowest common denominator attitude.

[pleppik]

And for the businesses? Associating there name with idiocy? They probably won't because it wou;d offend some clients I suppose.

Same thing. You can pretty much mock anyone you want to here in the U S of A, and corporations get about the same level of deference as public figures. Which is to say, almost none. I think this is a Very Good Thing, and I don't want to live in a place where we're not free to make fun of our leaders and institutions.

A few years ago there were a couple of guys who actually held fake news conferences and published fake press releases pretending to be representing big companies who suddenly had an attack of conscience (example: "GE Responds to Public Outcry – Will Donate Entire $3.2 Billion Tax Refund to Help Offset Cuts and Save American Jobs." This was actually reported as true by the AP).

Even if one of the companies had sued (which they didn't, because none of them were that dumb), they would have been almost guaranteed to lose big time.

[russ]

Or to be precise, you can sue, but the case will get thrown out pretty much instantaneously, and in many states you'd have to pay the defendant's legal bills under SLAPP laws. And Cruz and Palin would wind up looking even more foolish.

And for the businesses? Associating there name with idiocy? They probably won't because it wou;d offend some clients I suppose.

[pleppik]

No Wyoming Institute of Technology shows up on google search. If I were Cruz, Palin or any of the companies I would sue the silly asses that put the site up for everything they ever will have.

The two politicians - often make themselves look silly but this even goes farther than they normally manage. To the companies this is a direct insult by fools playing around.

Uh, yeah, good luck with that.

We still do have the first amendment and all that, and a public figure basically can't sue someone for making fun of them (however ineptly). That's a good thing in my book.

Or to be precise, you can sue, but the case will get thrown out pretty much instantaneously, and in many states you'd have to pay the defendant's legal bills under SLAPP laws. And Cruz and Palin would wind up looking even more foolish.

[russ]

It's a parody site.

But....if someone managed to scam Halliburton or BP or any other big company into funding a parody site like that, I would think that was completely awesome.

No Wyoming Institute of Technology shows up on google search. If I were Cruz, Palin or any of the companies I would sue the silly asses that put the site up for everything they ever will have.

The two politicians - often make themselves look silly but this even goes farther than they normally manage. To the companies this is a direct insult by fools playing around.