Moderator’s note: This won’t be the first time a satirist co-opted official letterhead to make a statement (see Joey Skaggs’ Brookyln Bridge Lottery Hoax, done in 1992), but it may be the last!!

Dane County DA considers charges against cartoonist who sent fake news
by Sandy Cullen
Wisconsin State Journal
March 14, 2012

Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne said Wednesday his office is considering whether to file a felony charge against a political cartoonist who reproduced the letterhead of state Rep. Steve Nass on a phony press release sent to a Madison newspaper.

Ozanne said Capitol Police have asked his office to determine whether Mike Konopacki of Madison should be charged with violating a state law that makes it a felony for someone who is not a public officer or public employee to act in an official capacity or to exercise any function of a public office.

The Class I felony is punishable by up to 3½ years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Ozanne said his office has the discretion to file a different felony or misdemeanor charge, or to not prosecute.

Konopacki, 60, said Wednesday he believes his parody — which makes fun of Nass, a Republican from Whitewater, for his role in canceling an art exhibit related to last year’s protests at the state Capitol — is protected political speech.

He said he sent the fake news release to the editorial page editor at The Capital Times, which posted an erroneous story on the paper’s website and on Capital Newspapers’ website, madison.com, on Feb. 25. It was removed a short while later after the paper learned the source document was a fabrication.

Konopacki, who specializes in labor issues, has drawn editorial cartoons for The Capital Times for many years on a freelance basis, the paper said in an online statement.

(more…)

From Brian:

F**k Everything (Jon Lajoie)

Submitted by the Fresh Juice Party:

Fresh Juice Party “Pepper Sprayer”

Sacha Baron Cohen Oscar Ban: Admiral General Aladeen Responds After Academy Award Tickets Revoked
Huffington Post
February 24, 2012

How many pun-filled dictator jokes can Sacha Baron Cohen fit in a minute-and-a-half video? A lot, apparently.

After rumors surfaced that Cohen was banned from walking this year’s Oscars red carpet dressed as Admiral General Aladeen — the satirical despotic character from his upcoming movie “The Dictator” — the Academy Awards released a statement claiming that no such decision had been made regarding the star’s tickets. (He is — was? — originally coming to this year’s show in support of his role in Best Picture nominee “Hugo.”)

(more…)

‘Ben Hurt’: Portland bike warriors smash and crash
by Nigel Duara & Terrence Petty
Newsday/AP
February 21, 2012

Portland, Ore. — Looking like punk gladiators, teams of young adults on junk bikes pulling chariots made of junk parts frenetically chased each other around a makeshift arena, slamming each other and swinging away with foam clubs.

Spectators tossed beer cans, flour and smoke grenades. Firecrackers popped and obscenities flew during the battle, called the “Ben Hurt Chariot Wars.”

And then, toward sundown, the grown-ups arrived. Seven police cars pulled up and told all 400 or so people they had to leave because they were trespassing on railroad property. They complied. But the contest was over anyway.

Victors had already emerged: Jon Penfold and his teammate Nick Schlabach. Falls, collisions and smashed wheels eliminated the other teams. Penfold’s and Schlabach’s chariot, armored with a bubble-shaped metallic cage, was the last one still able to maneuver.

“You attack, and then run. Attack, and then run,” said Penfold, 29. “It’s a war of attrition.”

Asked later on how he felt after winning, the 26-year-old Schlabach said: “I wanted to puke.”

Read the rest of this article here.

From Deborah:

NOT SEEN ON THE TV BROADCAST – During a commercial break at the 2012 Grammy Awards, pop singer Adele sings a new version of her Grammy-winning hit “Someone Like You” trashing Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich.

EXCLUSIVE – Adele Trashes Newt Gingrich at the Grammys!

Produced by Venga Productions

The adventures of Milk Man – the worst super hero in the world!

by freddiew: Just some cool dudes making sweet vids with rad FX!

via: GeeksAreSexy.net

Submitted by Ben: Not too late to vote!

From the “Lesser Known Presidential Candidates Forum”, Manchester New Hampshire, Saint Anselm College, December 19, 2011, which aired on C-Span:

From Marsha:

All I Want For Christmas – HMS OCEAN, from TwoSixTV

After lots of time away last year (214 days) — planned for 7 week deployment exercise with other nations. Diverted to Libya and further operations; Back 9 Dec after 7½ months away – 225 days with 176 at sea.

The ship’s company made a Christmas DVD when they heard they would be home for Christmas.

400 people onboard (at peak during the amphibious exercises just under 900 onboard but approx 650 during Op Ellamy); Steamed just over 40,000 miles; Burned approx 6,000 tonnes of fuel; Operated 16 different type of aircraft off the deck.

Realities of deploying:

15 babies born while the ship has been away (fathers did get home to see mum and baby); 5 people were sent home so they didn’t miss their own weddings; 1 sailor whose son’s third birthday is on homecoming. Family meeting ship

Ships company have missed:

Summer holidays; Children’s exam results; Children finishing school and starting university; The Padre missed his daughter’s graduation.

Submitted by artist Stephen Barnwell who just won a design competition to make the official Protest Currency for the Occupy Wall St. Movement.

Occupy Wall Street Official Protest Currency

On October 22, 2011, Stephen won a design competition to create the official protest currency of the Occupy Wall Street Movement. Immediate plans for the design are for currency notes and tee shirts, but it may be used for a variety of materials.

The reverse of the note is ghosted out to allow for people to sign the notes, so that each note will be a unique and personalized document. The vignette is of the NY Stock Exchange building grafted onto the US Capitol building.

For details of Stephen’s design process, check out the artasmoney.com blog.

Reverend Al from The Art of Bleeding and the late Los Angeles Cacophony Society created and presents this:

…bit of corporate chain-yanking and conceptual mashup, churning together the work of master plastinator Gunther von Hagens of Bodyworlds fame and Häagen-Dazs. Everything melts..

“Gunther von Häagen-Dazs”

From The Art of Bleeding website:

The Art of Bleeding is a Los Angeles-based multi-media performance troupe creating comically surreal and potentially educational programs in health and safety for video and live theatrical presentation.

Traveling in an actual ambulance to clubs, galleries, festivals, and other venues, we stage short sketches set in an off-kilter “paramedical funhouse” where costumed kiddy-show characters (an ape, robot, and puppet) mingle freely – if inappropriately – with a staff of “nurses” dressed to thrill the medical fetishist in us all. (more…)

From Erin:

Watch the Hackgate movie trailer:

Parody created by Paul and Lisa at Handface. Special thanks to Andrew Scott.

From Linda: An oldie but goodie from the Webby Awards 2010:

Update submitted by Chris V., July 15, 2011:

Submitted by Don B., July 13, 2011

Austrian Man Wins Right To Wear Pasta Strainer In License Photo
NPR
by Eyder Peralta
July 13, 2011

In Austria one of the strangest fights for religious freedom has come to an end: Niko Alm, a self-described “Pastafarian,” fought for three years for the right to wear a pasta strainer on his head in his driver’s license photo.

His argument? Alm claimed he belonged to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and wearing the strainer was part of his religion.

The BBC reports:

Mr Alm’s pastafarian-style application for a driving licence was a response to the Austrian recognition of confessional headgear in official photographs.

The licence took three years to come through and, according to Mr. Alm, he was asked to submit to a medical interview to check on his mental fitness to drive but – straining credulity – his efforts have finally paid off.

It is the police who issue driving licences in Austria, and they have duly issued a laminated card showing Mr. Alm in his unorthodox item of religious headgear.

The AFP reports that Alm now wants to apply for “Pastafarianism to become an officially recognised faith in Austria.”

If you want more, Alm detailed his fight on his blog. (We’ve linked to Google’s English translation of it.)



Related posts:

Submitted by Erin:

From Koch-Blocked.com:

Tired of the Koch Brothers buying our political system? Then join The Other 98% to push Koch money out and bring democracy back in… and maybe take part in some more awesome creative agitation.

Koch Bros – “It’s the evil thing…”

This video was conceived by John Sellers and Agit-Pop and produced and directed by Church of Great Rain — Adrienne Silvey-Mildon & David Godsey. Shot and edited by Eric Perlman.