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Worst Person on the Internet Pleads Not Guilty

CitizenSugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:25:14 -0700

Worst Person on the Internet Pleads Not Guilty Lori Drew, the Missouri mom whose heinous MySpace prank ended when a 13-year-old girl hanged herself in her closet after being spurned by a fictitious boy who was actually Drew, has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to inflict emotional distress. Drew has already been found guilty in the court of public opinion, but it's unclear how the case will pan out in the court of law.

Front Page: Osama bin Laden Tape, Indictment in MySpace Case, Zimbabwe Names Date,

CitizenSugar — Fri, 16 May 2008 07:02:08 -0700

Osama bin Laden Tape: Osama bin Laden just released another audio tape to mark Israel's 60th anniversary. Bin Laden has placed growing emphasis on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, putting it at the heart of the Muslim battle and calling it an inspiration to the bombers who attacked US cities on September 11, 2001. In the tape bin Laden says, "we will continue, God permitting, the fight against the Israelis and their allies ... and will not give up a single inch of Palestine as long as there is one true Muslim on earth." The Israeli anniversary celebrations were his inspiration to say, "this is evidence that Palestine is our land, and the Israelis are invaders and occupiers who should be fought."
Indictment in MySpace Case: A federal grand jury indicted the Missouri woman accused of creating a fake MySpace identity to manipulate a 13-year-old girl, who then committed suicide as a result. The woman, Lori Drew, was charged with one count of conspiracy and three counts of accessing a computer without authorization and via interstate commerce to obtain information to inflict emotional distress. Each count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Zimbabwe Names Date: The run-off in Zimbabwe's disputed presidential election will be held on June 27. Though opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai won the first round, the margin was not big enough to avoid a run-off. President Robert Mugabe called the poll "disastrous". Tsvangirai will compete in the second round, after originally threatening to boycott it.

Cyber-Bullying — Who's Responsible in Computer Tragedies?

CitizenSugar — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 08:11:51 -0700

This morning Good Morning America had an exclusive interview with Ashley Grills. If that name doesn't ring a bell, the story about the teenage girl who committed suicide after succumbing to a MySpace prank might. Grills, 19, admitted that she was part of the plan to create a fake persona on MySpace to start a fake online romance with a 13-year-old neighbor, Megan Meier.

Grills insisted that she was not the only adult involved in the tragic prank which led the vulnerable Meier to commit suicide after her fake online boyfriend and others began making nasty comments about her. Grills has testified to a grand jury that Lori Drew, 47, the mother of one of Meier's friends, was actively involved in creating the account and wrote some of the messages to Meier. Drew and her attorney deny that charge. To see why the case is being re-examined,

Exclusive! NY Times Copy and Pastes Call Girl MySpace Page

LibertySugar — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 03:00:28 -0700

I feel sort of icky writing about this, but I suppose the damage is already done. "Kristen" — the high-end prostitute employed by ex-Governor Eliot Spitzer — has been found. At 22 years old, this young woman is not much older than Spitzer's teenage daughters.

Thank you to the New York Times for telling the story that obviously needed to be told. By telling the story, I mean copying and pasting her MySpace page.

I wonder how Spitzer's teenage daughters feel about seeing pictures of the attractive woman their father paid for sex splashed all over the newspaper and internet. This just highlights the countless victims of Eliot Spitzer and the American obsession with sex scandals. With spurious reporting, comes great responsibility. And of course, to see my full reaction, check out my MySpace page.

Source

Should Public Officials Get Private Lives?

CitizenSugar — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:00:37 -0800

Arlington, OR, Mayor Carmen Kontur-Gronquist was recalled by voters who disapproved of her less-than-professional pictures posted on her MySpace profile. The pictures were snapped before she took office and she stands by her right to strictly draw a line between public and private life. She says she doesn't regret posting the photos, saying that essentially that, it's my. space. That's why they call it MySpace. She also said,

"My reaction is that the democratic process took place, and that is a good process that we have in the United States, and it's fair."

The situation does call to mind the Monica Lewinsky snafu. What if she'd had a Facebook page in 1998? No "pokes" jokes I promise.And finally, here's a sample of headline jokesters:

Oregon Mayor Stripped Of Office After Posing In Underwear

MySpace Mayor: Kontur-Gronquist Loses Job After Losing Clothes

Busty Mayor Stripped of Office

Lingerie MySpace Mayor Recalled...

But the serious question remains: do voters have the right to consider the whole picture of a candidate, public and private life, when choosing a leader?

Should Public Officials Get Private Lives?

No Way. What a person does off-hours says more about who they are than anything.

Possibly, but not if it's something illegal. But these photos aren't harmful in the least.

Absolutely. The only record we should judge a leader on is their voting record.

Sigh. My choice isn't here again. I'll tell you in the comments.

Yay or Nay: MySpace Friends With a Candidate?

LibertySugar — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:06:02 -0800

Practically every presidential candidate has a MySpace page. (Do you think Rudy's friends will flee now that he's dropped out? Maybe they'll just go be McCain's friends instead!) The big question is, would you put your favorite candidate in your Top 8?

Yay or Nay: MySpace Friends With a Candidate?

Yay! I want a friend in the White House.

Nay. They're trying way too hard to be hip.