The guy who convinced his 16-year-old nephew to walk around dressed like a terrorist, complete with grenade launcher (see "GOOD IDEA: Test Police Response Time by Walking Around With an RPG" (Sept. 28, 2012), has been convicted of endangerment and terror-hoax charges, according to CNN. Asked if he thought citizens had been frightened by the incident, the man's attorney responded, "[i]f someone comes to your front door with a samurai sword on Halloween, you would still be scared even though it is Halloween." I guess I agree with that, but am not seeing how it helps.
Paula Deen skipped the "Today" show this morning, "citing physical inability." What she felt unable to do was answer questions about allegedly racist deposition testimony. Deen denies she said the "n-word" when referring to people she wanted to have wait on guests at the "southern-style plantation wedding" she planned for her brother, though she admits she was referring to black people. (Some would say "African-Americans," but Deen said she tries to use whatever term "the black race" prefers at any given time.) Deen has released videos in which she apologizes and states that skin color (presumably including the plaintiff's) really doesn't matter to her.
Guess who's still rambling naked? Yep, the Naked Rambler. See "Naked Rambler Insists on Rambling Naked" (Dec. 1, 2012). He actually won't be rambling for the next 11 months, because he was just jailed again for defying a court order prohibiting him from rambling naked. By "again," I mean this is his 28th conviction on naked-rambling-related charges. His conduct this time, said prosecutors, was in "flagrant disregard of a court order," which seems fair given that he was charged with being naked in public on the steps of the courthouse in which he had just been ordered not to do that. The Rambler will be eligible for release on August 14, and will be naked again almost immediately.
