Remember that revolution in Egypt? The one that the media assured us was nothing but young people celebrating peace and love and using Facebook to promote Democracy and secularism?
Turns out the end result is, unsurprisingly, a religious fundamentalist government that is sending people to jail for offenses against Islam. Offenses that occurred years ago under a government whose censors approved the alleged “violations.”
But wait, I hear you saying! That’s in the middle east! They’re a bunch of crazy religious fundamentalists. Why should I care? That sort of thing would never happen here!
Meanwhile, North Carolina is threatening to jail a nutrition blogger who dares to give recommendations about nutrition that do not agree with the official state-approved guidance.
So think twice the next time you tell your fat coworker to lay off the donuts. You may be guilty of practicing nutrition without a license, a misdemeanor which can get you up to 120 days in jail.
Whether the state of North Carolina plans on prosecuting unlicensed nutritionists who agree with the North Carolina Board of Dietetics/Nutrition is yet to be determined…
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SmartMuffin - Because anything less would be uncivilized - http://img.imgcake.com/smartmuffin/barkleyjpgde.jpg http://dudewheresmyfreedom.com/
That isn't just any "Egyptian comedian." That's Adel Imam. He might legit be the most famous entertainer in the Arab world. His fame there really can't be understated. hooooooly ****
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I just asked my mom, and she knew about this but said it isn't getting much coverage on Arabic television, which wreaks of some corrupt BS. This is on par with one of the top 2-3 most famous American celebrities getting arrested. It should be a lead news story.
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Right. When I first read the story something really seemed off to me, and I mean aside from the obvious.
Like, how do you GET that famous and keep finding work in the Arab world by putting out material that is "offensive to Islam." Wouldn't that not, you know, work?
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SmartMuffin - Because anything less would be uncivilized - http://img.imgcake.com/smartmuffin/barkleyjpgde.jpg http://dudewheresmyfreedom.com/
Well, I've seen him on TV since I was born, and he's done quite a bit that pokes fun at Islam and Arab culture in general. He's a slapstick comedian, so it's always good natured and meant to be enjoyed, and it usually is. I think most Arabs/Muslims are fine with his work. The unfortunate truth, however, is that your average everyday Arab doesn't have the courage to stand up to fanatical Muslims. My attachment to the Arab world is tenuous so I can't speak with super authority or anything, but it's pretty clear that the minority of crazed fanatics are never opposed.
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it said 3 months in jail (and a pissant-insignificant fine), which seems laughably like a typical "celebrity jail time" thing... but I agree that it is still f***ed up. If an American comedian was jailed for 3 months for openly criticizing Christianity, I would be beyond furious.
As for the other guy... I'm not really familiar with how ass-backwards North Carolina is in general, so I don't have enough information to form a real opinion, though it seems like the dude's in a position to win (or could make literally insignificant word-tweaks to his blog that get him 100% out of trouble)
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There is actually a topic on another board by a user living in Egypt who gives updates about what's going on there. Pretty interesting (and depressing if you ask me) read.
SmartMuffin posted... Is Carlos Mencia like, still even active?
I haven't seen him in anything in awhile...
I'm pretty sure he's not... but are we willing to take that chance? >_>
Also I think he was in one of those "engaged couple faces awkwardness from both sides of potential in-laws" movies as the Mexican chick's father. I only saw commercials, but I could've sworn it was him...
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Meanwhile, North Carolina is threatening to jail a nutrition blogger who dares to give recommendations about nutrition that do not agree with the official state-approved guidance.
I haven't read the full details (just skimmed the links), but this doesn't seem unreasonable. If you pose as a medical expert when you are, in fact, not one, you can seriously mislead and damage the lives of thousands. I know you don't think too highly for limitations on free speech of any sort but there is a reason these exist with regards to medicine.
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From: NeoElfboy | #022 I haven't read the full details (just skimmed the links), but this doesn't seem unreasonable. If you pose as a medical expert when you are, in fact, not one, you can seriously mislead and damage the lives of thousands. I know you don't think too highly for limitations on free speech of any sort but there is a reason these exist with regards to medicine.
I am not a doctor, dietitian nor nutritionist… in fact I have no medical training of any kind.
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Mencia is still around, unfortunately. He still has his share of fans, but he's definitely lost all respect from comedy community so he'll never reach the same level of fame he had.
I know you don't think too highly for limitations on free speech of any sort but there is a reason these exist with regards to medicine.
There sure is. It's because existing doctors unions lobby Congress to restrict competition. Government licensing creates monopolies. REAL monopolies that ACTUALLY exist, not the fake ones you've been lied to about in history class that ran the country before Teddy Roosevelt heroically dismantled them.
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From: thundersheep | #025 Mencia is still around, unfortunately. He still has his share of fans, but he's definitely lost all respect from comedy community so he'll never reach the same level of fame he had.
This. Ever since Mind of Mencia got cancelled in 2008, all he's had was one chick flick mentioned earlier and a stand-up on Comedy Central last year.
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This is all terrible stuff. Like, man, comedians and people being able to speak freely is something we take for granted, since guys like Lenny Bruce and George Carlin and such fought for that stuff decades ago. Though we still have problems there in America, yeah that's terrible.
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