[Kosh]

wtf?

"The husband and wife owners of a California company that distributed pornographic materials over the Internet have been each sentenced to one year and one day in prison. Extreme Associates and owners Robert Zicari, also known as Rob Black, 35, and his wife, Janet Romano, aka Lizzie Borden, 32, pleaded guilty in March to a felony charge of conspiracy to distribute obscene material through the mail and over the Internet."

[redsniper]

What kind of pornography? And do you need a license for that sort of thing?

[Dark RevenantX]

One year AND one day?  Why even ****ing bother?  What difference is 366 versus 365?

[ssmit132]

We had a discussion about pornography on the last day of last term in English, since we were reading various articles in gender discourse. One of the issues is that some people believe that it is demeaning for women (no mention about men, but then I expect most porn is of women rather than men), since it turns them into sex objects. I suppose it also depends on what is actually being portrayed in the porn, and I didn't see anything mentioned about that (in the linked PCWorld article), just that some attorney said how disgusting it was.

I think though that if people (men or women) consent to be in the porn industry, then that is their choice. And there is nothing wrong in viewing it if the people in it are consenting, even though I wouldn't myself.

[Ford Prefect]

Ah yes, porn-- a $10-13 billion industry, and nobody watches it.

I don't really understand what law they're supposed to have violated that other porn distributors haven't. It's porn; what do they expect people to masturbate to?

[karajorma]

From what I understood of the crime the porn was violent and also was being sent by mail (I don't know how it is in the states but it used to be in the UK you could only by porn in a licensed sex shop so as to prevent minors getting hold of it).

[NGTM-1R]

From what I understood of the crime the porn was violent and also was being sent by mail (I don't know how it is in the states but it used to be in the UK you could only by porn in a licensed sex shop so as to prevent minors getting hold of it).

AFAIK, that's no excuse either way; definitely sending by mail can't be the reason since everyone and their dog offered to sell you DVDs last I checked.

[Androgeos Exeunt]

In Singapore, the MDA doesn't care if you view pornography, but if you distribute it, you're as good as dead.

[Aardwolf]

In Singapore, the MDA doesn't care if you view pornography, but if you distribute it, you're as good as dead.

If you do something wrong in Singapore, you're dead. Period.

[Mikes]

One year AND one day?  Why even ****ing bother?  What difference is 366 versus 365?

In theory... you could make people spend Christmas 2x in jail that way ? lol.

Propably just a coincidence tho Still... anniversaries, wedding days, birthdays... if a judge wanted to be petty and had the opportunity ? LOL

Or does it possibly have legal repercussions if someone has been in jail for "more than 1 year" ?

[ssmit132]

If you do something wrong in Singapore, you're dead. Period.

One of the things I remember about Singapore Airport - the guards spread about with big guns. Not that I'm saying they're bad to do that, but I felt a little uneasy about having people holding big guns around me and just standing dead still - heck, I don't see people with guns most of the time.

[Mikes]

If you do something wrong in Singapore, you're dead. Period.

One of the things I remember about Singapore Airport - the guards spread about with big guns. Not that I'm saying they're bad to do that, but I felt a little uneasy about having people holding big guns around me and just standing dead still - heck, I don't see people with guns most of the time.

Ah since 9/11 we even got that on Frankfurt airport in germany... except ours walk around lol.

[Blue Lion]

One year AND one day?  Why even ****ing bother?  What difference is 366 versus 365?

It has something to do with time served and parole times. Don't quote me on this but it affects how quickly you can be released. And not just by a day.

[MP-Ryan]

In August 2003, a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh returned a 10-count indictment against Extreme Associates for violating federal obscenity statutes. In January 2005, a district court judge dismissed the indictment, saying that the federal obscenity statutes were unconstitutional. The government appealed, and Buchanan argued the case in October 2005 before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

From a news article on the subject.

All pornography is regulated by obscenity standards.  Violation of those is a crime.  That's what the Slashdot summary missed.

This is also the third time I've read a Slashdot news announcement in the last year that omitted the important details to garner a shock reaction.  I'd strongly suggest avoiding them for your news.

[karajorma]

Yep. I noticed something similar in the other thread Kosh started. Due to the fact that slashdot news is basically little more than a forum post there's a real problem with it glossing over the important details in favour of "OMFG! THe Governmentz are the EVAL3ST!!!!!!!"

Now the question as to whether this particular porn should be considered obscene is another matter. But this isn't just a case of two people ****ing on camera, let's throw them in jail.

[Turambar]

Porn is boring and inaccurate. XP

[Blue Lion]

Girls never seem to do those things with me. Maybe I'm doing something wrong.

[NGTM-1R]

Girls never seem to do those things with me. Maybe I'm doing something wrong.

Probably.

[Woolie Wool]

In August 2003, a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh returned a 10-count indictment against Extreme Associates for violating federal obscenity statutes. In January 2005, a district court judge dismissed the indictment, saying that the federal obscenity statutes were unconstitutional. The government appealed, and Buchanan argued the case in October 2005 before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

From a news article on the subject.

All pornography is regulated by obscenity standards.  Violation of those is a crime.  That's what the Slashdot summary missed.

This is also the third time I've read a Slashdot news announcement in the last year that omitted the important details to garner a shock reaction.  I'd strongly suggest avoiding them for your news.

The fun thing about obscenity law is that it involves "community standards" and is thus not consistent from place to place. Obscenity law is one of tne of the dumbest laws in the United States, and that's saying a lot.

[mxlm]

One year AND one day?  Why even ****ing bother?  What difference is 366 versus 365?

It has something to do with time served and parole times. Don't quote me on this but it affects how quickly you can be released. And not just by a day.

I believe it also has some bearing on where you'll be held.