Blogs > Frye on the News

Keeping his eye on the news and offering commentaries and insights on what is happening in Oakland County, around the world, on the tube and in the news.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

New child pornographers? Think before you share!

It was a rather natural reaction really, revenge when learning her boyfriend had cheated on her.

It's a story out of Minnesota, reported here out of a Fox TV station, and it's a lesson many could use.

The 21-year-old woman did what many suspicous partners or spouses do, she snooped a little as she suspected her boyfriend had cheated. He had, the story reports, and he made it easy to be found out — he had video recorded both him and his brother having oral sex with a pair of 17-year-old girls in a motel room.

The girlfriend chose, as many do, a public confrontation and accomplished this by posting the video onto a social media site, Facebook, something not everybody would think of.

Police and prosecutors eventually noticed after other people told the girls on FB what they had seen.

Now the 28-year-old boyfriend is charged with a felony — not for the sex as 17 is old enough, but for the video as now 17 is not old enough. It's using a minor in pornography, police say.

Also, the angry girlfriend now should be kicking herself for she, too, is charged with a crime — dissemination and possession of pornographic work involving minors.

Again, these were somewhat natural reaction people now have: videotaping stuff and sharing to social media. These are not the traditional child pornographers that we think of, but their actions may fit under child pornography laws.

Think before you click 'record' and think again before you click 'send.'
What do you think?

More details about the case are here.

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Monday, December 10, 2012

FATAL HOAX? Fake tears, so-so apology, but not a crime

Another apology I'm not buying came from the Australian DJs who pranked a hospital and its nurse, mocking England's queen as the world and Matt Lauer wondered how the pregnant princess was doing.

OK, I shouldn't gripe about Lauer's show and its almost unpatriotic love of everything royal. I've got nine months of that ahead of me.

But the apologies offered by the now-canned DJs whose prank may have proven fatal rings very hallow. Of course, they are sorry that the person they pranked may have committed suicide. They never intended that.

A gap in their story: They never expected to get through. But if they taped the segment and they got through, why air the segment if that was not what the attended.

(Further bullshit from the station, they said they tried to call the hospital five times after the prank and before it aired. Hmm. They get through when pranking but can't get through to alert hospital to impending airing....right.)

Their apology included phrases like, "this has happened" to nurse Jacintha Saldanha. No, not what happened, but what "we did."

However, they weren't to blame for the death.  One cannot know that someone may commit suicide over an action. What about laying people off from their jobs? What about a bad grade?

Now, impersonating someone could be a fraud, so perhaps there is a crime; but to say this prank or impersonation caused a suicide is going too far. Sure, fire the DJs. Sure, hate and stop listening to the station. Write an angry letter. But they can't be charged with a crime or, I think, even sued. Someone committing suicide is making their own decision to end their life. It's too bad it happened. And it was a stupid prank, but these pranks go on all the time, and we can't legislate good taste.

And they've tried and tried over history to do so.

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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Ever drive in Russia?


Well, according to this video posted on YouTube, a 13-minute compilation of bizarre and, yes, funny, crashes or examples of outrageous driving and unfortunate timing, you are lucky if you haven't. Some highlights include livestock and wildlife, trees falling, insane passing, out of control speeding, and even a horse. Oh, and only one clip involves snow.
While some may say this is bad driving, what's amazing are the number of dashboard cameras. Perhaps they should be mandated on American cars.
Buckle up and check it out:

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