Crime and Punishment


Pope Sued

According to the German newspaper Westfälische Rundschau, a new lawsuit asks the question, "Gilt auf dem Papst Benedikt XVI die Anschnallpflicht im Papamobil?" If like me you don't speak German, that apparently means something like, "Is the Pope legally required…



Mimes Deployed

TIME reports that several South American countries have deployed hundreds of mimes, like these two in Caracas, in an effort to shame drivers into obeying traffic rules. "Any infraction," the report says, "leads to frantic miming." Photo: Ariana Cubillos/AP Try…



In Canada It Is Illegal to Alarm the Queen

In response to the news that it may soon be illegal to insult an Australian Minister for Gaming, a number of Canadians have informed me that it has long been illegal there to do any act "with intent to alarm…


Adult Baby Cleared of Social Security Fraud

After an investigation prompted by U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, the Social Security Administration has cleared adult baby Stanley Thornton Jr. of Coburn's allegations of disability fraud. Why was Senator Coburn bothering an adult baby? Because he saw the adult baby…


Have-Lunch-Nearby Getaway Plan Succeeds!

It was only about a week ago that I mentioned the poor track record of the strategy of sitting down for lunch in the vicinity of your crime, and now here's a case where this actually may have worked. Last…



A Pistol in the Pants Can Lead to Trouble

Doesn't seem like much good could ever come of this, really. Ask Plaxico Burress, or this guy. Bonus points: he was hunting possums. Bonus quote: Mountain Safety Council chief executive Darryl Carpenter said people shot themselves accidentally "surprisingly very little."…