Topic: The retarded news of the world.

[Pugnate]

So I post a lot of weird quirky and sometimes retarded news. Some might say that I am a retarded news specialist, having posted so much over the years on OW.

I've noticed that each region seems to have its own brand of retarded news, and the same type of quirky news often comes out one region. In fact, I think by just looking at the headlines, you can tell what country the retarded news is from.

For example:

India: Mostly news involving someone marrying a cow or an idol out of religious belief. Most of the retarded news from here comes out of some weird side effect of Hinduism. Sometimes you will get news about poor deformed animals being worshiped as dieties.

Pakistan: The retarded news from this part of the world is more scary than retarded.

Japan: I don't look for retarded news involving Japan that centers around fetishes, rape, sex, molestation, groping, tentical porn... it just seems to happen that way. Only out of Japan do you get news about people marrying video game characters, and then ejaculating on them in public.

China: You either see mutated livestock, mutated viruses, sexual repression, rape, suicides, or the pure psychotic. No, the retarded news from China isn't much fun.

Europe: Hookers and sex. Mostly sex. Sometimes the occasional sighting of Jesus or Virgin Mary. But mostly sex.

USA: I've saved this for last, because I have a piece of retarded news at the end of this post. The kind of retarded news the US of A generates is the most frustrating. Retarded news that comes out of America seems to come out of an overprotective rule of law. Most of the retarded stuff involves crazy patent rulings and uncalled for lawsuits. But the most frustrating news is the one where innocent people have pieces of their lives ruined by absolutely stupid lawmaking, devoid of all common sense.

For example, there was that 16 year old kid, who received consensual oral sex from a 15 year old girl, and was then treated like some child molester. It is something he has to deal with for the rest of his life.

Now, here is something pretty stupid as well:

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/10/06/toy.gun.expelled/index.html

Read it.

It makes me so mad. Poor kid, makes a mistake. The gun is clearly a toy. Common sense should prevail. He is only 7!

[Xessive]

Hehe you are a pundit, my friend!

That story about the 7yr old with the toy gun is pretty sad.

[Cobra951]

Here is one bit of hope for America:

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/ea-wins-edge-trademark-suit-court-cites-langdell-for-trollin/

[Xessive]

What a douche. It's rare for me to side with the corporation but I am glad that EA won this one.

Thanks for that, Cobra.

I also came across an interesting bit of legal news regarding the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act (or the C.A.L.M. Act) where a bill has been passed in the USA that directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prescribe a regulation prohibiting advertisements accompanying video programming from:

(1) being excessively noisy or strident;
(2) having modulation levels substantially higher than the accompanying program; and
(3) having an average maximum loudness substantially higher than that of the accompanying program.

Hopefully it's only a matter of time before that catches on over here.

[W7RE]

I went to high school in Colorado, in a small town. I remember I got sent tot he office for wearing a wallet chain and was given 2 days of in school suspension. People carried Leatherman knives all the time, but I couldn't wear a chain attached to my wallet because it was considered a weapon. Not really the same as expulsion for carrying a toy, but I still don't think it was fair.

[Xessive]

That sounds completely unfair, man.

My brother's belts were confiscated because he used them to defend himself when he got bullied. When he was in 8th grade 5 boys ganged up on him and shoved him around, so he pulled his belt out of his trousers and started whipping them. The douchebags complained to the principal and my brother got suspended. Whatever my bro said was brushed off as a weak defense and "no excuse for his behaviour."

Every place has its injustices but to reach the point of ruining a kid's education and possibly the rest of his life is massive overkill.

[angrykeebler]

South Korea: People who play Starcraft or Warcraft for hours and hours consecutively....TILL THEY DIE

[Pugnate]

Here is one bit of hope for America:

http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/05/ea-wins-edge-trademark-suit-court-cites-langdell-for-trollin/

While that should make me happy, it is like when it is a battle between two video game companies, they isn't enough ulterior interest for something fishy to happen.

BTW, don't get me wrong, the judicial system in the USA is amazing and among the best in the world. If it were so in the Middle East or Pakistan, many of the problems would be solved. Living in Pakistan, I can see how shackling the judiciary allows the politicians to get away with so much crap.

I went to high school in Colorado, in a small town. I remember I got sent tot he office for wearing a wallet chain and was given 2 days of in school suspension. People carried Leatherman knives all the time, but I couldn't wear a chain attached to my wallet because it was considered a weapon. Not really the same as expulsion for carrying a toy, but I still don't think it was fair.

Well, the school wanted to maintain a certain dress code, and you deliberately defied them. On the other hand, what you did, does seem harmless. My highschool had no such rule. Though again, they established these rules clearly. I don't know, I would slightly side with the school, even though I do love you (in a completely brotherly way), but your problem can be debated. At the very least you only got a 2 day suspension. I hope you got a warning first though!

On the other hand, this kid has had two crucial years of his life taken away.

Angrykeebler, can't believe I missed that one. That's right. Both China and South Korea have weird news related to gaming addiction.

It is funny how the weird news from different parts of our world are so deeply cultural at times.

[W7RE]

Yea, I did know that wallet chains were against the rules. I would usually tuck it into my pocket so no one know I was wearing it, since it was easier than removing it from my wallet. I would wear it out around teachers that I knew would let it slide. I misjudged this particular teacher I guess.

Oh, and I guess the chain hung down to my knees (down to the floor if I let my wallet hang at the end) and was 3/4 of an inch thick, that might have been part of the issue.

[Ghandi]

I really enjoy reading your posts about the retarded news of the world. I've almost completely stopped reading political news. It seems, at least in the US, that it makes everyone more retarded. News like you describe, on the other hand, seems to make everyone saner, and generally much more comfortable with their relatively sane reality.

But mostly it's just stupid news. Some guy in India that worships a deformed animal I can understand. I can wrap my head around that. Now, turn on one of the 24 hour news networks in the US and watch for awhile. THAT'S retarded news.