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NEWS ABOUT: obscenity

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Arizona Bill Would Restrict Teachers' Speech

Proposed legislation would punish those who violate FCC standards

(Newser) - Arizona doesn't want its teachers cussing in class—and new proposed legislation would actually make it illegal to do so. GOP state lawmakers are behind Senate Bill 1467, which would require public school teachers to adhere to the FCC's TV and radio standards. That means certain limits on... More »

Aussies to Make Obnoxious Swearing Illegal

Victoria police will be able to slap the potty-mouthed with fines

(Newser) - Don't get too vulgar in Victoria—it could cost you up to $257. Australia's second most populous state is poised to approve a law that will give police the power to fine those who utter obnoxious obscenities in public, reports the Sydney Morning Herald . The attorney general says... More »

Conservatives Pummel Holder as Soft on Porn

But Justice Department says obscenity better tackled at other levels

(Newser) - The Justice Department is shutting down the Bush-era Obscenity Protection Task Force, reports Politico , and critics are bashing AG Eric Holder for not being tougher on porn and smut. "As the toxic waste of obscenity continues to spread and harm everyone it touches, it appears the Obama administration is... More »

Pennsylvania Cops Now Let You Swear All You Want

Cops will no longer issue tickets for naughty words

(Newser) - Say it with me, foul-mouthed Pennsylvanians: Hot damn! It is officially no longer a crime to utter choice four-letter words in the presence of state police. They've agreed to stop citing the public for cursing as part of a settlement yesterday of a federal free-speech lawsuit. That suit stems from... More »

Pedophile's Guide Author Arrested

Phillip R. Greaves II faces obscenity charges

(Newser) - The good news for Phillip R. Greaves II: Outrage over his Pedophile’s Guide to Love and Pleasure caused sales of the book to shoot up 101,000% on Amazon . The bad news: He’s now been arrested and faces obscenity charges in Colorado. The 47-year-old self-published author is charged... More »

Spanish Curse Word Costs Teacher $15K

But debate rages over whether word is actually that bad

(Newser) - A New York high school teacher was fined $15,000 for using the word "cono" numerous times in class. Sounds harmless—and it can be, depending on which group of people you're using it with—but the word literally is a reference to female sexual organs, according to the... More »

2 Live Crew Didn't Make Kagan 'So Horny'

Supreme Court nominee argued against banning 'Nasty' rap album

(Newser) - The search through Elena Kagan's work history has yielded an amusing nugget: She went to bat for notoriously sexual rap group 2 Live Crew. In a 1990 brief for the RIAA when she was an associate at a DC law firm, Kagan argued As Nasty as They Wanna Be "... More »

ACLU Defends Cussing at Cops

Lawsuits fault police for arresting potty mouths

(Newser) - Swearing is legal, but some institutions—including Pennsylvania law enforcement agencies—need a reminder, the ACLU tells the Philadelphia Inquirer . The organization is suing on behalf of two Pennsylvanians who were arrested and charged with scofflaw offenses for swearing in public; one of them called a police officer a "... More »

Museum Yanks Nude Photo of Tween Brooke

Pic may violate child porn laws in Britain

(Newser) - The Tate Modern has yanked a nude photo of a young Brooke Shields from an exhibit following a visit by police investigating whether the picture violates child pornography laws in Britain. The controversial photo by New York artist Richard Prince shows a heavily made-up 10-year-old Shields standing naked in a... More »

Fox Anchor Apologizes to Chickens Everywhere

Ernie Anastos sorry for laying on-air egg

(Newser) - The Fox anchor who stirred up a fricassé when he almost suggested a co-worker go pluck a chicken has apologized for his on-air bleep, reports AP. "I misspoke," said veteran New York broadcaster Ernie Anastos. "I apologize for my remarks to anyone who may have been offended.... More »

F&#% a Cluck: NY Fox Anchor Bleeps Big Time

Ernie Anastos has choice on-air suggestion for weatherman

(Newser) - A veteran New York Fox TV anchor is likely in for a peck of trouble after making an obscene suggestion on air about what the weather forecaster should do to a chicken. "It takes a tough man to make a tender forecast," Ernie Anastos quipped to weatherman Nick... More »

FBI Squeezed Deep Throat

Obscenity probe marked the end of FBI efforts against turning cultural tide

(Newser) - The FBI made a huge effort to stop the spread of '70s porn hit Deep Throat, documents newly released to the AP reveal. Top agents and field offices in almost every major city were involved in the probe, in which negatives were analyzed, copies of the film seized, and interviews... More »

After 1st Rant, Boyle Lights Into Cops

(Newser) - Foul-mouthed songbird Susan Boyle not only had a few choice words about a judge on Britain's Got Talent, she also blew up at fans yesterday and lit into a British bobby who subsequently tried to calm her down, reports the Sun. London cops intervened when Boyle screamed at comments by... More »

Craigslist Sues SC AG to Stop Charges

AG hails it as a win for his state

(Newser) - Craigslist has filed federal suit against South Carolina’s attorney general to stop him from charging company executives with breaking state prostitution and obscenity laws. AG Henry McMaster called the site’s move a victory, saying “it shows that Craigslist is taking the matter seriously for the first time,... More »

Recession Creates Nation of Potty Mouths

F-bombs a popular way to react to your 401(k) statement

(Newser) - The state of the economy has made for a lot of bad news, and bad news makes for a lot of cussing, MSNBC reports. “I’ve been dropping the F-bomb every time I look at the Dow,” said one 35-year-old writer. “You see that number and you... More »

A Kiss Is Not Just a Kiss: Indian Court

Criminal charge against couple dismissed

(Newser) - A married couple accused of obscenity for allegedly kissing in public have been cleared by a judge in Delhi, reports the BBC, where public displays of affection are considered scandalous. The couple was arrested at a railroad station where they claim they were photographing themselves with a cellphone. A conviction... More »

Facebook Moms Protest Breast Ban

Breast feeding not obscene, angry group declares

(Newser) - A 58,000-strong Facebook group plans to protest the site's ban on breast feeding photos through, er, Facebook. Cyber-organizers are asking users to temporarily swap their profile photos this weekend for breastfeeding pictures banned by the Facebook policy, reports the New York Daily News. The revolt started when the networking... More »

Supremes Won't Air Dirty Laundry

Court will delay release of tapes of arguments in indecency case

(Newser) - Election Day is likely to inspire swearing in some places and sure to see off-color language in one unlikely locale: the Supreme Court. But the American public will have to wait until next summer to hear tomorrow's oral arguments in a landmark indecency case, FCC vs. Fox, the Justices... More »

Lawyer Uses Google to Judge Obscenity

Common search terms can show 'community standards,' he says

(Newser) - A defense lawyer in a Florida obscenity case is trying out a new technique for determining those elusive “community standards” courts have been fighting over for years: what locals search for on Google. The resourceful attorney compared the frequency of local searches for words like “orgy” and “... More »

Unseemly Word Loses Its Sting

'Near-dirty' term deserves a trip to the showers

(Newser) - The word douchebag is in danger of losing its bite thanks to rampant overuse, writes Richard Dorment in Esquire. It's not that the "toxic mess of a man" population has increased, he observes. It may seem that way, what with reality TV and cable punditry promoting unsavory characters. But... More »

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