The U.S. Army's Network Enterprise Technology Command has admitted that after The Guardian began running stories about NSA data trawling, the Army began limiting access to The Guardian's website via DoD networks. A representative told the Monterey Herald this was to keep classified information from being downloaded onto an unclassified DoD network, because, I guess, somebody might then get in trouble for having classified information that everyone else on the planet already has.
UPDATE: Some readers have suggested the above is probably due to rules about keeping classified and unclassified networks separate and procedures that have to be followed if an unclassified network is "infected" with classified information, not because the military is trying to censor the info or might punish someone for having it. There might be an issue as to whether those rules and procedures make sense when classified information is publicly available, but setting that aside, the explanation seems good enough to take this one out of the "stupid" column.
A long-running dispute over the film rights to the 1982 teen sex comedy Porky's has finally been settled, according to the Hollywood Reporter, so those of you who have really been looking forward to a remake of that classic have something to celebrate.
UPDATE: It occurs to me that this one may also be open to debate given the likelihood that someone will make a billion dollars from remaking Porky's, no matter how terrible it was and would be.
"Quite simply, we could see some of these plants disappear over time" if the law against gathering them is not enforced, said a spokesperson for the Cook County Forest Preserve District. She was trying to explain why they were pressing charges against a 75-year-old retiree caught picking dandelion greens so he and his wife, who live on $1,500 a month, could have a vegetable to eat. Told that dandelions are a weed, she then claimed some other species look like dandelions and so people might eat those by mistake unless this elderly couple is punished. Good thing the district has a trained spokesperson so its employees don't say anything dumb.
UPDATE: On further review, this one is still stupid.
Congratulations to Texas for executing its 500th prisoner since 1976, which The Onion noted was also its 393rd guilty prisoner. The Onion did give Texas credit for being "fairly certain" about another 98 or so.
