FEAR AND LOATHING IN NEW JERSEY

ITEM: Megan's Law, the landmark legislation that requires convicted and paroled sex offenders to notify police and the general public where they live and when they move, has failed to deter sex crimes or reduce the number of victims since its passage 15 years ago, a new study concludes.

I’ve never been a fan of Megan’s Law, as I think it’s an ineffective and irrational solution to the problem it was intended to address – and I’d type out some commentary to go with this, but the topic is so controversial that it’ll take more time and energy than I care to burn up to make my position clear, so in the name of passing on knowledge, I’ll post this without further comment, except to say that I’m not surprised by the findings ... or the subsequent reaction to them.

How to start an argument,

This is dF

THE OLD JOKES REALLY ARE THE BEST

The previous post was a bit grim, so ...

A duck walks into a bar. And he says to the bartender "Got any grapes?"

The bartender says "No, I don’t have any grapes." The duck walks out, sorely disappointed.

So the next day, he walks back into the bar, asks the same question, gets the same answer.

The day after, he walks back into the bar, and again, asks the bartender, "Do you have any grapes?" The bartender, having still not figured out why this duck seems to think he may have some grapes, says to the duck, "No, and if you come back in here tomorrow and ask me if I have any grapes, I will nail your bill to the bar!"

The duck frowns, turns around, and walks out of the bar.

So the next day, the duck walks back into the bar, and asks the bartender "Got any nails?"

The bartender says, "No."

So the duck says, "Got any grapes?"

READ MORE ABOUT IT: A post on the origins of the “man walks into a bar” joke.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before,

This is dF

GREAT MOMENTS IN MARKETING: SEE THE BAND, BUY THE BRA

ITEM [via YesButNoButYes]: So yr a lingerie company looking for a way to promote yr brand? Why not start a rock band? Featuring women playing while wearing bras?

That’s what Vassarette did. They spent 2008 auditioning “the most talented female musicians confident enough to perform in their bras”.

This is what they came up with: The Vassarettes.

And goodness, they’re awful.

To be fair, they’re all good musicians who can also sing okay. But they definitely need a better songwriter, because the song they’ve been handed (or wrote themselves) sucks monkey ass. Music doesn’t get more soulless and lifeless than this outside of the average High School Musical soundtrack. Kelly Clarkson rocks harder, for God’s sake.

Nice bras, mind. Which is probably the point. And if the Pussycat Dolls can make a career out of it, why can’t people who can actually play instruments?

Still, it’s a shame to see otherwise decent talent wasted on a silly, pointless project like this – especially with me being a fan of rock music AND lingerie and all. It just goes to show that bands are more than the sum of their parts – especially when they’re assembled for the sole purpose of promoting a corporate brand.

It also goes to show that Bill Hicks was right.

ADDENDUM: Can I just say that despite my appreciation for burlesque and lingerie, I can’t find a single thing sexy about Pussycat Dolls? Seriously. Their videos come on and nothing tingles. Not even a little. Granted, to each his own, but still, the needle is NOT moving here.

Turn it down,

This is dF