Tag Archives: tsa pat-downs

Regulation Roundup

Posted on June 3, 2011 | Comments Off

Some of the stranger goings-on in the world of regulation:

–Starting July 1, it will be illegal to use someone else’s Netflix password in Tennessee, even with their permission.

–Buffalo, New York fines 400 citizens over the length of their lawns. Record rains during the month of May meant record grass growth, which can be difficult for residents to keep in check.

-In the wake of a court decision making it illegal to dance inside the Jefferson Memorial, activists are holding a dance party this weekend. Leonard Pitts has a good column explaining what the kerfuffle is about.

–Texas is continuing its fight against TSA pat-downs. The legislature recently introduced a bill that would treat the pat-downs as sexual harassment, punishable by a $4,000 fine and a year in jail. It was withdrawn after the TSA threatened to ground all outbound flights from Texas. Looks like lawmakers want to reintroduce the bill in an upcoming special session. Utah is considering similar legislation.

–The FCC would like you to pay more for Internet telephony. Traditional landline-based networks have been lobbying the FCC on this issue for some time; now their anti-competitive efforts are bearing fruit.

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Tagged buffalo, buffalo new york, byron brown, byron w. brown, fcc, internet telephony, jefferson memorial dance party, lawn regulations, leonard pitts, mayor byron w. brown, netflix, regulation, regulation roundup, tennessee, texas, texas tsa bill, tsa, tsa pat-downs, utah

Regulation Roundup

Posted on May 27, 2011 | Comments Off

Some of the zanier happenings in the world of regulation:

–The Texas legislature was poised to pass a bill classifying the TSA’s pat-downs as misdemeanor sexual harassment – until the TSA threatened to ground all flights out of the state. The agency claimed it would be unable to guarantee passenger safety without the pat-downs. The legislature promptly backed down.

–Denmark has banned Marmite, a paste-like substance made from brewer’s yeast that is popular in Britain. The reason for the ban is that the paste has added vitamins and minerals. In Denmark, that’s a no-no.

–Don’t sell rabbits without a license. The Dollarhite family of Nixa, Missouri, found that out the hard way. The federal government has fined them over $90,000 for breeding rabbits and selling them to pet stores.

–Members of Congress have unusual investment acumen. A new paper finds that “A portfolio that mimics the purchases of House Members beats the market by 55 basis points per month (approximately 6% annually).” The study covers the period from 1985 to 2001. The subsidies, tax breaks, and other forms of corporate welfare that Congress indulges in couldn’t possibly have anything to do with their personal investment decisions, could it?

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Tagged denmark, dollarhite family, marmite, missouri, nixa, pat-downs, rabbits, regulation, selling rabbits, texas, tsa, tsa pat-downs, unlicensed rabbits