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Friday, April 29, 2011

You can kiss my royal ...

So let me get this straight: A man who is only known because his father is "royalty" (making him royalty) in a foreign country (that we so much did not want to be a part of anymore that we broke away from it and formed our own country) gets married and it is the main news story for the whole day?

And it's even shown live on TV and it is all over every channel!?!?!

Let's stop for a moment and think back to how this "prince" got in this position in the first place.

He is descended from a long list of people who originally claimed they were "royalty" because God willed them to be, because God wanted them to have more land, and the best land, and more food, and the best food, and more rights and freedoms than everyone else in the country.

He is descended from a long list of people who tortured and murdered citizens in the name of being "royalty" because God willed it.

And he is descended from the very rulers who ruthlessly oppressed the people who would become Americans.

This person is not special. These people are not special.

And they certainly do not warrant international news coverage for spending millions of dollars on a wedding during an international financial crisis.

Here is what I have to say about it! ...

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Toddler + gun = news

A toddler shot and killed his mother, the boy's father told South Florida police, who say they will talk to the 2-1/2-year-old.

The father, who called 911, told police he was trying to take the firearm away from the child when it discharged.

The boy's mother -- Julia Bennett, 33 -- was shot once in the back and died from the injury.

Um, so what was a 2-1/2 year old doing with a loaded gun?

And who will be surprised when it is revealed the man actuall killed his wife?

And why is this national news?

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/04/26/florida.toddler.shooting/index.html?hpt=T2

Case closed

Fargin' idiots!












http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/27/white-house-releases-obama-birth-certificate/?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Imagine if we tried to solve obesity with a "a war on corn"

Truthout does it again.

Imagine if our leaders, faced with the fact that two-thirds of us are overweight or obese, declared a war on corn. After all, that is from where we get our chips and sweeteners.

It's be sort of like fighting a war on drugs to solve a drug abuse problem.

Here is a brilliant analogy for the war on drugs: http://truthout.org/war-drugs-success-means-failure

And there is more discussion on drug policy there as well.

When idiots determine the news

This is what we get.

On the front page of CNN.com no less:

It remains red meat for some critics of President Obama. But a CNN investigation confirms what most analysts have said since the "birther" controversy erupted in 2008: Obama was born in Hawaii. CNN's Gary Tuchman reports. FULL STORY

It is shocking that a group of conspiracy theorists who are a small minority of the population and who exist on the fringe, have driven this story to the front of a national news organization.

Shows you what money and power can do, because the "birthers" are not just made up of crazy right-wingers but also consist of some very powerful monied interests. Watch the film "The Billionaire's Tea Party" and you'll understand what I mean.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Attemp to bomb mall NOT related to Columbine mass murder

An apparent attempted bombing at a Colorado shopping mall was not likely related to the 12-year anniversary of the shootings at nearby Columbine High School, the FBI said.


Except that it was supposed to happen around the same time (the same week in April).

Except that it was to happen only a couple of miles from the school.

Except that it involved propane bombs (like the attackers at the high school, although their bombs failed, thankfully).

So the media say this is "not a copycat crime" and it is "not linked to Columbine" yet the story still deals with Columbine.

Hmmm .....

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110424/ts_alt_afp/uscrimefireprobecolumbine_20110424211552

Lots of amazing stories in the media this weekend

So I am busy grading lots and lots of papers as the semester winds down. Plus mowing lots of grass (it just does not stop growing) and finishing my basement! And I also went on a cool hike.

But I noticed lots of interesting stories in the media this weekend.

Like this story about how rap music inspires Libyan rebels to defeat Gadhafi. See, I told you rap music is not all bad!

And this story about a new report showing the role that Transocean played in the Gulf oil spill. It appears this is just another company with a history of recidivism.

Oh, and not to mention the Winston Salem Journal called for a moratorium on executions based on my study! (that was Sunday). Cool, no?

And the big story today is that "WikiLeaks" has revealed interesting details about Guantanamo detainees, including that a few dozen have returned to terrorism or armed conflict.

There is some interesting stuff in here, including this:

"They ... paint in great detail a portrait of al Qaeda as it grew stronger in Afghanistan in the 1990s, prepared for the 9/11 attacks and scattered in their aftermath.

"Among the files already published by WikiLeaks and examined by CNN is that of Ahmed Khalfan Gailani, recently convicted by a New York court of taking part in the bombing of the U.S. embassy in Tanzania in 1998. The file, from 2006 when Gailani was transferred to Guantanamo, includes details of his time as a bodyguard and cook to Osama bin Laden shortly before the 9/11 attacks. Gailani is cited as telling interrogators that the al Qaeda leader had a "normal diet" and usually ate with about 15 bodyguards."

Read more on the last story here (CNN) or here (Fox).

Friday, April 22, 2011

Who is getting media coverage in the race for President


It's Donald Trump, a man who thinks that President Obama was born in Kenya (false), who thinks he could meet with leaders of other nations and tell them in the eye, "This is how it is going to be," and who cannot answer a question about whether the right to privacy is in the US Constitution and how that relates to abortion.

Wow.


http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/21/medias-spotlight-shines-less-brightly-on-palin/

Today's top stories

From CNN

Kate and Diana: Royal comparison

CNN's Randi Kaye and Richard Quest look at Prince William's fiancee, Kate Middleton, and his late mother, Princess Diana. Will Kate be as nervous as Diana was in 1981? | QUEST: WHY ROYAL WEDDING MATTERS | FULL COVERAGE

Latest news


Death, crime, terrorism, and petty, trivial stuff. That is pretty much it! And we wonder why Americans are so uninformed about important events and issues.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

And they said it was NOT about oil

... and you believed them.

* Foreign Office memorandum, 13 November 2002, following meeting with BP: "Iraq is the big oil prospect. BP are desperate to get in there and anxious that political deals should not deny them the opportunity to compete. The long-term potential is enormous..."

* Tony Blair, 6 February 2003: "Let me just deal with the oil thing because... the oil conspiracy theory is honestly one of the most absurd when you analyse it. The fact is that, if the oil that Iraq has were our concern, I mean we could probably cut a deal with Saddam tomorrow in relation to the oil. It's not the oil that is the issue, it is the weapons..."

* BP, 12 March 2003: "We have no strategic interest in Iraq. If whoever comes to power wants Western involvement post the war, if there is a war, all we have ever said is that it should be on a level playing field. We are certainly not pushing for involvement."

* Lord Browne, the then-BP chief executive, 12 March 2003: "It is not in my or BP's opinion, a war about oil. Iraq is an important producer, but it must decide what to do with its patrimony and oil."

* Shell, 12 March 2003, said reports that it had discussed oil opportunities with Downing Street were 'highly inaccurate', adding: "We have neither sought nor attended meetings with officials in the UK Government on the subject of Iraq. The subject has only come up during conversations during normal meetings we attend from time to time with officials... We have never asked for 'contracts'."

Combine this story with the Downing Street Memo and you can start to understand why the US invaded Iraq.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

A look at violence in music

Studies show that certain kinds of music tend to feature and even promote violence, especially in children and adolescents.

Marilyn Manson even got blamed for the Columbine High School shootings, even though the killers did not listen to his music.

Of course, rap music gets much of the blame. For example, a recent study by the Prevention Research Center of the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation in Berkeley, Calif., suggests young people who listen to rap and hip-hop are more likely to abuse alcohol and commit violent acts.

And some claim increases in violence in their city are due to rap music!

Eric Armstrong analyzed lyrics from 490 rap songs produced by 13 different artists from 1987 to 1993. He found that 22% of gangsta rap music songs contain violent and misogynist lyrics. According to his study, the fastest selling rap album of all timeEminem's The Marshall Mathers LPcontains 14 songs, and violent and misogynist lyrics are found in 11 (79%) of them: “Worse still, nine of the eleven songs depict killing women, with drowning becoming a new modus operandi. Comparing the lyric content of gangsta rap music’s foundational period with that of Eminem shows the following: In terms of violent and misogynist lyrics, gangsta rap music (1987-1993) scores a 22 percent while Eminem (2000) reaches 78 percent.”

Here are some examples of his music:

"Kill You"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9Y-CSQor5s&feature=related

"Criminal"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hMSucrhQ3M

"Role Model"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0ZA3ulN6bg

Does this matter?

The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reports:

Singing and music have always played an important role in learning and the communication of culture. Children learn from what their role models do and  say. For many years, some children's television very effectively used the combination of words, music and fast-paced animation to achieve learning.

Most parents are concerned about what their young children see and hear, but as children grow older, parents pay less attention to the music and videos that capture and hold their children's interest.

Sharing music between generations in a family can be a pleasurable experience. Music also is often a major part of a teenager's separate world. It is quite common for teenagers to get pleasure from keeping adults out, which causes adults some distress.

A concern to many interested in the development and growth of teenagers is the negative and destructive themes of some kinds of music (rock, heavy metal, hip-hop, etc.), including best-selling albums promoted by major recording companies. The following themes, which are featured prominently in some lyrics, can be particularly troublesome:
  • Drugs and alcohol abuse that is glamorized
  • Suicide as an "alternative" or "solution"
  • Graphic violence
  • Sex which focuses on control, sadism, masochism, incest, children devaluing women, and violence toward women
Parents can help their teenagers by paying attention to their teenager's purchasing, downloading, listening and viewing patterns, and by helping them identify music that may be destructive. An open discussion without criticism may be helpful.

Music is not usually a danger for a teenager whose life is balanced and healthy. But if a teenager is persistently preoccupied with music that has seriously destructive themes, and there are changes in behavior such as isolation, depression, alcohol or other drug abuse, evaluation by a qualified mental health professional should be considered.

There are some great analyses of musicians available online for further study. Many of them are found in the excellent journal called the Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture, available here:
http://www.albany.edu/scj/jcjpc/

They include analyses of
Johnny Cash’s music: http://www.albany.edu/scj/jcjpc/documents/Gerkin7_5.pdf
Portrayals of violence against women in rap music:
http://www.albany.edu/scj/jcjpc/vol8is2/armstrong.pdf
The lyrics of Rage Against the Machine:http://www.albany.edu/scj/jcjpc/vol9is3/finley.pdf

The source and meaning of the phrase “Stop Snitchin’”: http://www.albany.edu/scj/jcjpc/documents/Woldoff7_6.pdf

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

North Carolina death penalty study in the news

I'll be on a live radio show today at NOON on North Carolina Public Radio: "The State of Things." Listen live or download it later here: http://wunc.org/programs/tsot

wunc.org
The State of Things is a live program hosted by Frank Stasio devoted to bringing the issues, personalities, and places of North Carolina to our listeners. We present the Tar Heel experience through sound, story, discussion, commentary and listener participation through calls.

And here is some of the news coverage, so far!


http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/03/16/1056240/face-up-to-the-facts-and-end-the.html


http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/studies-north-carolinas-death-penalty-error-prone-and-extremely-rare

http://www.news.appstate.edu/2011/04/13/n-c-death-penalty/

http://www.wgnc.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12191%3An-c-death-penalty-review-provides-data-for-lawmakers-and-others-%C2%BB-news-archive-%C2%BB-appalachian-state-university-news&catid=82%3Anc-news-by-google&Itemid=241




And more too ...

Death penalty in NC should be scrapped, scholar's report says
Shelby Star - ‎3 hours ago‎
AP RALEIGH (AP) — An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for Justice ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
WWAY NewsChannel 3 - ‎4 hours ago‎
RALEIGH, NC (AP) -- An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
The Virginian-Pilot - ‎4 hours ago‎
AP An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research today at the North Carolina Advocates for Justice office in ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
Greenville Daily Reflector - ‎5 hours ago‎
AP RALEIGH, NC (AP) — An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for ...
WFMY News 2

Professor: NC Death Penalty Process Flawed
WFMY News 2 - ‎6 hours ago‎
Raleigh, NC -- An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for Justice ...

NC Scholar'S Report Calls For End to Death Penalty
WNCT - ‎6 hours ago‎
By AP Writer | (AP) RALEIGH, NC (AP) An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
BlueRidgeNow.com - ‎7 hours ago‎
AP An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for Justice office in ...

NC Scholar's Report Calls For End To Death Penalty
WITN - ‎7 hours ago‎
An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for Justice office in Raleigh. ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
Daily Comet - ‎8 hours ago‎
AP RALEIGH, NC - An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for Justice ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
Stamford Advocate - ‎8 hours ago‎
RALEIGH, NC (AP) — An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
Albany Times Union - ‎8 hours ago‎
RALEIGH, NC (AP) — An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
Ct Post - ‎8 hours ago‎
RALEIGH, NC (AP) — An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
Beaumont Enterprise - ‎8 hours ago‎
RALEIGH, NC (AP) — An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
Greenwich Time - ‎8 hours ago‎
RALEIGH, NC (AP) — An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
San Antonio Express - ‎8 hours ago‎
RALEIGH, NC (AP) — An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
Danbury News Times - ‎8 hours ago‎
RALEIGH, NC (AP) — An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
Charlotte Observer - ‎9 hours ago‎
AP RALEIGH, NC An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for Justice ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
WECT-TV6 - ‎9 hours ago‎
AP - April 18, 2011 4:15 AM ET RALEIGH, NC (AP) - An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
WBTV - ‎9 hours ago‎
AP - April 18, 2011 4:15 AM ET RALEIGH, NC (AP) - An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
WLOS - ‎9 hours ago‎
RALEIGH, NC (AP) -- An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
Myrtle Beach Sun News - ‎9 hours ago‎
AP RALEIGH, NC -- An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for Justice ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
News & Observer - ‎9 hours ago‎
AP RALEIGH -- An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research today at the North Carolina Advocates for Justice ...

Repeal Capital Punishment in North Carolina, Says Study
Public News Service - ‎9 hours ago‎
... recent revelation that evidence has been mishandled by the state crime lab, possibly sending innocent people to death row, as study author Dr. Matthew Robinson, professor of government and justice studies at Appalachian State University, explains. ...

Report by Appalachian State professor says NC death penalty process should be ...
My Fox 8 - ‎9 hours ago‎
By AP RALEIGH, NC (AP) — An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for ...

Report by Appalachian State professor says NC death penalty process should be ...
WTKR Your NewsChannel 3 - ‎9 hours ago‎
By AP RALEIGH, NC (AP) — An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty
WRAL.com - ‎9 hours ago‎
RALEIGH, NC — An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for Justice ...

Report by Appalachian State professor says NC death penalty process should be ...
Daily Journal - ‎9 hours ago‎
AP RALEIGH, NC — An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for Justice ...

Report by Appalachian State professor says NC death penalty process should be ...
The Republic - ‎9 hours ago‎
AP RALEIGH, NC — An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina's death penalty process is so full of flaws it should be repealed. Matthew Robinson is scheduled to release his research Monday at the North Carolina Advocates for Justice ...
An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina lawmakers should seriously consider repealing the death penalty because it's financially expensive, carried out infrequently and doesn't deter crime. Matthew Robinson spoke at a Monday news conference assembled by the state's trial lawyer

Put the death penalty itself on trial
And it would collapse under the preponderance of evidence:
Robinson analyzed years of data about the death penalty, which he said costs millions of dollars annually and capital murder cases are nearly four times more expensive than non-capital cases. He said seven people have been exonerated and freed from North Carolina's death row since the early 1970s.
If the Republicans really want to cut wasteful programs, this should be at the top of their list. But first they'd have to join us here in the 21st Century.
http://www2.journalnow.com/news/2011/apr/19/WSMET01-death-penalty-ineffective-too-expensive-ne-ar-959351/

Published: April 19, 2011, Winston Salem Journal, http://www2.journalnow.com/news/2011/apr/19/WSMET01-death-penalty-ineffective-too-expensive-ne-ar-959351/

Death penalty ineffective, too expensive, new study says
By MICHAEL HEWLETT

North Carolina should repeal the death penalty because it is expensive, ineffective and racially biased, an Appalachian State University professor says in a new study.

The study was done by Matthew Robinson, a professor of government and justice studies. Robinson analyzed data from more than 20 studies on the death penalty and released his findings Monday at a news conference in Raleigh.

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty

Beaumont Enterprise
...NC (AP) — An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina... which he said costs millions of dollars annually and capital murder cases ...

NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty

Danbury News Times

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — An Appalachian State University professor says North Carolina lawmakers should seriously consider repealing the
death penalty because it's financially expensive, carried out infrequently and doesn't deter crime.


NC scholar's report calls for end to death penalty | The Asheville Citizen-Times | citizen-times.com
www.citizen-times.com

Monday, April 18, 2011

Press Conference Today!

Raleigh, NC --

I am here from Boone, NC to release to the public my report, “The Death Penalty in North Carolina: A Summary of the Data and Scientific Studies.” The study is online at www.pscj.appstate.edu/ncdeathpenalty

The report contains two major components:
1)     a summary of publicly available data on the state population, murder arrests, and capital punishment practice in the state of North Carolina, and
2)     a summary of every study of North Carolina’s death penalty system (from scholars inside and outside of the state)

The report was motivated by my desire to produce a policy-relevant document for legislators and other officials who create, implement, and review state policy.

Capital punishment is a public policy struck down by the US Supreme Court in 1972 and re-implemented in 1977; from 1977 until 2006, North Carolina was one of the most active death penalty states in the nation (ranking in the top 10 in the number of death sentences and executions per year, and in the size of its death row).

Yet, our last execution was in August 2006, almost five years ago. During this unofficial moratorium, death sentences have greatly declined, public opinion has turned against the death penalty, and murder rates have fallen. Capital punishment in North Carolina has also regularly been in the news, including stories about the proper role of doctors in the lethal injection process, appeals filed under the state’s Racial Justice Act, and even problems with the blood unit of the State Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab.

Given all this, now is an excellent time to examine the state’s death penalty system to determine—Is capital punishment an effective policy? Does it meet its goals? Do the benefits of the policy outweigh the costs? Is it a necessary policy? Answers to these questions can be found in the report.

The five major facts established by the report include:
1)     Relative to murder, capital punishment is extremely rare – 2.5% of murders lead to death sentences and 0.287% of murders have thus far produced executions.

2)     Capital punishment is not a greater deterrent to murder than alternative sanctions such as life imprisonment without parole.

3)     Capital punishment is 3 to 5 times more expensive than alternative sanctions such as life imprisonment without parole – the state spends at least $20 million per year just on defense costs to maintain a system it does not even use.

4)     Capital punishment is plagued by disturbing disparities based on extra-legal factors such as race – killers of whites are 3 times more likely to be sentenced to death than killers of blacks (especially when a black person kills a white person)

5)     Capital punishment poses a serious risk to innocent people – 7 people have been freed from the state’s death row, ranking North Carolina 7th worst in the nation in terms of the number of exonerations.
With me today are scholars whose research is cited in my report. Each of them will now introduce himself or herself and briefly summarize some of the material I have just outlined.

Professor Frank Baumgartner
Professor Miriam DeLone
Dr. Seth Kotch

In summary, as I mentioned at the outset, capital punishment is a public policy. It was created by the General Assembly and implemented by Department of Correction officials. Part of the policy process is policy analysis and evaluation. Research analyzing and evaluating policies like capital punishment is necessary to inform public policy. The report I am releasing today provides an assessment of the death penalty in North Carolina as it is actually practiced.
The major conclusion of this report—based on all the data and studies conducted of North Carolina’s death penalty system—is that capital punishment is a failed policy. Further, given the nature of the problems outlined, the system of capital punishment is simply not fixable. I therefore call on the General Assembly to take action on this matter as soon as possible.

Questions?

(Watch the news, listen to the radio, read the paper ... hopefully there will be coverage of my trip to Raleigh for this event!)

Friday, April 15, 2011

Top 50 grossing films of the 2000s

From Wikipedia:

How many of these involve crime, violence, death, graphic violence, and graphic death?

Virtually everyone of them. I was counting them up, and nearly every film features crime and violence. Even relatively tame films like Kung Fu Panda and show a large amount of violence.

Some are obviously highly violent, featuring visuals of murder and mass death & destruction.

By "grossing," of course, I meant money.

But maybe grossing also means something else!



List of worldwide highest-grossing films
Rank↓ Title↓ Studios↓ Worldwide gross↓ Year↓ Ref.↓
1 Avatar 20th Century Fox $2,713,395,000 2009
[# 1]
2 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King New Line Cinema $1,119,110,941 2003
[# 2]
3 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Walt Disney Pictures $1,066,179,725 2006
[# 3]
4 The Dark Knight Warner Bros. $1,001,921,825 2008
[# 4]
5 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Warner Bros. $974,733,550 2001
[# 5]
6 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End Walt Disney Pictures $960,996,492 2007
[# 6]
7 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Warner Bros. $938,212,738 2007
[# 7]
8 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Warner Bros. $929,359,401 2009
[# 8]
9 The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers New Line Cinema $925,282,504 2002
[# 9]
10 Shrek 2 DreamWorks Animation $919,838,758 2004
[# 10]
11 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Warner Bros. $895,921,036 2005
[# 11]
12 Spider-Man 3 Sony Pictures/Columbia $890,871,626 2007
[# 12]
13 Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs 20th Century Fox/Blue Sky $887,566,024 2009
[# 13]
14 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Warner Bros. $878,643,482 2002
[# 14]
15 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring New Line Cinema $870,761,744 2001
[# 15]
16 Finding Nemo Disney/Pixar $864,625,978 2003
[# 16]
17 Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith 20th Century Fox $848,754,768 2005
[# 17]
18 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen DreamWorks/Paramount Pictures $834,969,807 2009
[# 18]
19 Spider-Man Columbia Pictures $821,708,551 2002
[# 19]
20 Shrek the Third DreamWorks Animation $798,958,162 2007
[# 20]
21 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Warner Bros. $795,634,069 2004
[# 21]
22 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Paramount Pictures $786,636,033 2008
[# 22]
23 Spider-Man 2 Sony Pictures $783,766,341 2004
[# 23]
24 The Da Vinci Code Columbia $758,239,851 2006
[# 24]
25 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Walden Media/Disney $745,011,272 2005
[# 25]
26 The Matrix Reloaded Warner Bros. $742,128,461 2003
[# 26]
27 2012 Sony Pictures/Columbia $736,257,842 2009
[# 27]
28 Transformers DreamWorks/Paramount Pictures $709,709,780 2007
[# 28]
29 Up Disney/Pixar $683,004,164 2009
[# 29]
30 The Twilight Saga: New Moon Summit Entertainment $669,259,961 2009
[# 30]
31 Ice Age: The Meltdown 20th Century Fox/Blue Sky $655,388,158 2006
[# 31]
32 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Walt Disney Pictures $654,264,015 2003
[# 32]
33 Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones 20th Century Fox $649,398,328 2002
[# 33]
34 Kung Fu Panda DreamWorks Animation $631,744,560 2008
[# 34]
35 The Incredibles Disney/Pixar $631,442,092 2004
[# 35]
36 Hancock Columbia Pictures $624,386,746 2008
[# 36]
37 Ratatouille Disney/Pixar $623,707,397 2007
[# 37]
38 The Passion of the Christ Icon Productions $611,899,420 2004
[# 38]
39 Mamma Mia! Universal Pictures $609,841,637 2008
[# 39]
40 Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa DreamWorks Animation $603,900,344 2008
[# 40]
41 Casino Royale Sony/MGM/Columbia $594,239,066 2006
[# 41]
42 War of the Worlds DreamWorks / Paramount $591,745,540 2005
[# 42]
43 Quantum of Solace MGM / Columbia $586,090,727 2008
[# 43]
44 I Am Legend Warner Bros. $585,349,010 2007
[# 44]
45 Iron Man Paramount $585,133,287 2008
[# 45]
46 Night at the Museum 20th Century Fox $574,480,450 2006
[# 46]
47 King Kong Universal $550,517,357 2005
[# 47]
48 Mission: Impossible II Paramount $546,388,105 2000
[# 48]
49 The Day After Tomorrow 20th Century Fox $544,272,402 2004
[# 49]
50 Madagascar DreamWorks SKG $532,680,671 2005
[# 50]

Thursday, April 14, 2011

North Carolina Death Penalty study in the news

N.C. Death Penalty Review Provides Data for Lawmakers and Others

BOONE—While North Carolina was once a leading death penalty state, capital punishment has become rare, in part because of an unofficial moratorium on
capital punishment in effect for the past five years, pending review of the protocol followed with the lethal injection process.

Appalachian State University professor Matthew Robinson thinks it’s time for lawmakers to consider the effectiveness of the state’s capital punishment system
as a deterrent to crime as well as its cost.

Robinson, who teaches in Appalachian’s Department of Government and Justice Studies, is the author of “Death Nation: The Experts Explain American Capital
Punishment,” “Justice Blind? Ideals and Realities of American Criminal Justice” and other books related to crime and the criminal justice system.

Robinson recently compiled a 57-page report titled “The Death Penalty in North Carolina: A Summary of the Data and Scientific Studies. “The goal was to provide
one document that the General Assembly could access if they want to know the facts about the death penalty in North Carolina,” he said of the report. It is
available at http://pscj.appstate.edu/ncdeathpenalty/ncdeathpenaltyfinal.pdf.

Robinson will join other scholars to discuss the report at a press conference Monday, April 18, at 11 a.m. at the North Carolina Advocates for Justice
building at 1312 Annapolis Dr. in Raleigh in room CLE 1 and 2.

Robinson’s review of some 24 studies or reports includes information about the cost of executions versus life in prison, and public opinion about the death
penalty.

In his report Robinson writes, “Death sentences have declined in North Carolina executions have been halted, murders have declined, and a large majority of
state residents support a moratorium on executions. This is an appropriate time to carefully assess the state’s capital punishment system. A fundamental
question for policy-makers to consider is this—is capital punishment a necessary practice for North Carolina?”

He said lawmakers should consider if the death penalty meets its goals or providing closure for victims, retribution to society, deterrence from murder,
and reduced murder rate. “Is capital punishment something that we believe is a necessary policy. Is it something we need to keep doing,” Robinson asked? “And
do the benefits the state and society might realize from death penalty outweigh its costs?”

According to N.C. Department of Corrections data, currently 158 prisoners are on death row. The most recent incarceration was in March, the oldest was in 1985.
Since 1977, only 9.9 percent of people sentenced to death in the state have been executed.

According to a report published by Duke University’s School of Public Policy, it costs the state $2.16 million more for a death sentence case than a trial that
leads to life in prison or a lengthy prison sentence when considering the cost of a trial, legal defense, appeals and incarceration.

“We are spending an enormous amount of money for a system we rarely use and that studies show has significant racial biases,” Robinson said.

Notice the press conference is Monday at 11 am in Raleigh!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

This is seriously news???

Look at the title:

Shoplifter shoves 14 bottles of body wash in pants

It even has an illustration captioned "Not an actual police illustration."
 
You think?

http://www.heraldonline.com/2011/04/13/2986613/shoplifter-shoves-14-bottles-of.html

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Can we predict how many killings there will be in violent movie sequels?

This is the question asked in the article.
As noted in the book, movies have gotten incerasingly violent over time, including the number of violent acts depicted, the number of graphic violent acts depicted, the number of killings depicted, and the number of graphic killings depicted.

The genre of movie that leads the pack is "slasher" films. Here are the body counts for some well-known slasher films.



A new one is coming out -- Scream 4 -- and it promises to feature even more blood and guts.

Now a film scholar has developed a formula to predict the number of killings in slasher film sequels.

Let B be defined as "body count":

     B = 2n+12(Z-R)+2c+2S+3
     B = Approximate onscreen body count
     n = The number of the installment in the series
     Z = Zombie factor (i.e., is the film directed by rock-‘n-schlock auteur Rob Zombie? 1 for yes, 0 for no)
     R = Is the film part of a reboot? (1 for yes, 0 for no)
     c = The number of colons in the title
     S = Does the film take place in outer space? (1 for yes, 0 for no)

Using this formula, the author predicts a body count of 11 for Scream 4.

If you see the film, keep count and let me know if it is accurate. I'll save my money for a better film.


http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/browbeat/archive/2011/04/08/the-rules-of-slasher-movie-body-counts.aspx

Monday, April 11, 2011

Top Shows on TV

Depending on where you look, the top rated shows on TV deal with crime and criminal justice. For example, this list from TV.com includes the shows Fringe, Bones, NCIS, Criminal Minds, The Mentalist, CSI: NY, CSI, and Castle all in the top 20!

And Neilsen ratings, which vary by week, show that after competition type shows (Dancing with the Stars, American Idol), the top shows are crime shows, including NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles, The Mentalist, and Body of Proof.

The point is, as demonstrated in the book, that crime is extremely popular on TV. And literally of it is unrealistic and meant not to inform but instead to entertain.

The problem is it creates major misconceptions in viewers about realities of crime and criminal justice things like:

We learn that most crime is violent in nature. False.

We learn that the most dangerous criminals are poor. False.

We learn that street crime is the most dangerous. False.

We learn that most victims are white. False.

We learn that most crimes are solved using forensics. False.

We learn that we have to rely on the law and criminal justice system to protect us. False.

And these misconceptions drive misguided and costly criminal justice policy in the real world.

So, yes, it matters.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Not reality, actuality

That is the slogan for TruTV, formally known as CourtTV.

An analysis of its website, trutv.com, finds the following shows being advertised on the website:
Of these 21 shows, more than one-quarter deal with crime and criminal justice. Two of the shows in particular stand out, including Forensic Files and Police POV.

Here is the description of Forensic Files:

Forensic Files: science has never been more entertaining. Since its inception in 1996, this groundbreaking show has aired hundreds of smash episodes about the dramatic world of forensic science. Forensic Files follows investigators as they piece together bizarre sets of clues from crime scenes, accident sites and victims of dangerous diseases to build evidence through a whodunit, half-hour race against time. As the actual police officers, victims and suspects come together to discuss what really happened, you'll see a show that isn't reality - it's actuality.

And here is the description for Police POV:

It's the most intense police series ever. Police POV captures what it's really like to be a cop, with every wild moment caught on the new AXON camera from TASER, from their point-of-view. All the car chases, drug busts, foot pursuits and struggles with hidden guns, just as the cops see it. You'll never look at law enforcement the same way again.

Neither of these shows is realistic. Both are meant to be entertaining, and both create major misconceptions of criminal justice in viewers. Watching these shows leads one to believe that crimes are usually solved with forensic science techniques (false), and that policing is often exciting and focused on life and death crime situations (false).

Other shows feature random acts of violence or crime, even though their title does not hint that they are about these topics. Take Operation Repo, for example, which shows some pretty ridiculous characters seizing property of others, often being confronted with angry and people threatening and even using violence. And the show Bait Car sets people up to steal cars, cars that happen to be rigged with hidden cameras and microphones and which can be controlled from remote including locking the car so the offenders cannot get out.

I suppose it is entertaining to see people make stupid mistakes like stealing a nice car with the keys left in it, so that we can take joy at their suffering, laugh at them, and then end up paying tens of thousands of dollars per year to incarcerate each one of them.

Here is what is listed under the "Videos" tab of trutv.com:
That is basically a bunch of videos about crime, sex, nudity, disaster, and did I mention, crime?

If any one network has "perfected" the delivery of infotainment, it is TruTV. And you don't even have to have a TV to see it, since it is now all online.

The network even has a "crime library" featuring pages on Serial Killers, Notorious Murders, Criminal Mind, Terrorists & Spies, Gangsters, and more.

Check it out. Just don't spend too much time there, as every minute spent on the page lowers your IQ by about one point.