Canadian Mountain Dew

I have a new Canadian coworker and I have been learning a ton about our neighbor to the north (unless you're reading this from Detroit, where Canada is your neighbor due south).

Apparently Canada used to have a law banning the sale of caffeinated clear sodas. Actually, the Canadian government didn't allow the sale of artificially-added caffeine in any foods. Therefore, only the naturally occurring caffeine in coffee, chocolate, tea, and dark-colored cola-drinks (since the kola plant has caffeine) was legal.

Many clear sodas in the United States don't have caffeine anyway - Sprite, 7-Up, Ginger Ale - so that may not seem that odd. Then you remember the most caffeinated soda is... Mountain Dew, right? Yep, Canadian Mountain Dew = caffeine-free. (!!!)

In 2002, Pepsi Co did come up with a caffeinated version, called "Dew Fuel", just for sale in Canada, but it wasn't sold as soft drink, it was marketed as "health drink". It went out of production in 2007.

Nice try.

Luckily for Canadians, the law changed in 2012, and now natural caffeine can be added to soft drinks, thus restoring Mountain Dew to its intended glory.

So if you were driving through Canada any time before 2012 and grabbed a Mountain Dew through a drive-thru or at a store, you probably didn't know that you weren't getting the caffeine you desired. Maybe all the sugar made up for it?

To read current Canadian guidelines on caffeine: click here!

How Pinball Became Legal Again

Did you know that pinball was illegal in major US cities from 1942 until 1976?

Early pinball machines didn't have flippers, so the player would bump and shake the machine itself to try to affect the ball's fall.  If the ball went into the right slot, the player could win free games, which some bars would redeem for cash. The game was, by and large, a game of chance and could have a cash prize, so it was considered "gambling". In the early 1940s, the United States was cracking down on gambling machines of all sorts. And lawmakers started to believe that pinball was mafia-run scam.

New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia wrote in a Supreme Court affidavit that the machines robbed the "pockets of schoolchildren in the form of nickels and dimes given them as lunch money". And then he outlawed the game in NYC. Police and politicians raided bars and bowling alleys smashing machines, arresting their owners, and throwing the machine's remains in the river, as public display of "morality". Many other cities followed with their own bans.

Through this time, the major pinball manufacturers continued to make games, since they were still legal for home use. During this time, the pinball companies improved the game, inventing flippers and incorporating multiple electronics into the playfield.

Then comes the best part of the story!

The Amusement & Music Operators Association lobbied to get a meeting with the City Council in a Manhattan courtroom to plead their case to get the ban overturned in May of 1976. They brought in a writer named Roger Sharpe to prove to the Council that pinball was no longer a game of chance. He was out to prove that it was undoubtedly a game of skill.

With the Council watching, Sharpe called his shot. He said that he could hit his next shot through the middle lane. He pulled the plunger, hit the ball with a flipper, and sure enough it went through the middle lane! City Council overturned the ban on the spot!

Some places still had illegal pinball on their books for years, but not many places followed through on enforcement. It was only within the past couple of years, for example, that Nashville, Tennessee, eliminated its ban on under-18-year-olds playing or standing within 10 feet of a pinball machine. It's still technically illegal on Sundays in Ocean City, Nevada.

Next time you throw a couple of quarters into a pinball machine while you're waiting for your friends at the bar, you can not only appreciate it's rich history, but you can be assured that it IS winnable! :)

[Sources: Popular Mechanics, Gizmodo]

How Many Spaces To Use After A Sentence?

Apparently the answer is ONE. I can already feel myself wanting to use two spaces after each.  sentence.  I.  write!

According to an article on The Atlantic, the only reason that we ever used two spaces after the end of a sentence was because of a flaw in typewriters, and now every major style guide recommends just one space. Why did typewriters lead us to use two?

Well, with typewriters, all letters, numbers, and symbols all occupied the same amount of space (called "monospaced type"). So an "i" would take up the same amount of space on a line as a "W", thus leaving much more white space on the page. With more white space, it was harder to detect when a sentence ended, so the standard became to use two spaces.

Here's a great example from The Skilled Workman (which has a ton of typography tips for publishing):

Now, and since the 1970s, besides the little-used "courier" font, we use "proportional fonts" where the letters only take up the space they need. As a result, it's much easier to see where sentences end and begin. So the extra space has been dubbed "unnecessary".

To read the entire explanation from The Atlantic, click here. And for an interesting counter-argument, click here. :)

Typewriters didn't only affect our sentence-spacing, but the beginning (and arguably modern misuse) of the "Caps Lock" key. Check out a great article about that, too, on Slate.com: Click here!

Weird State Laws

Aw, everyone loves strange laws, right?  Here are a few for you today from John Stossel's book, Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity: Get Out the Shovel -- Why Everything You Know is Wrong:

In Belton, Missouri, it's illegal to throw a snowball. 

In New Jersey & Oregon, it is illegal to pump your own gas. 

In Kern County, California, it is illegal to play bingo while drunk. 

In Illinois, it is against the law to hunt bullfrogs with a firearm. 

In Massachusetts, it's illegal to deface a milk carton. 

In Fairfax, Virginia, the use of pogo sticks is outlawed on city buses. 

In Palm Harbor, Florida, it is illegal to have an artificial lawn.

Also, in Spring Hill, Tennessee, you can't do any outdoor home-improvement projects in any residential neighborhood on Sundays.

And inn Friendship Heights, Maryland, it's illegal to smoke indoors or outdoors.

Remember, ignorance of the law is no excuse. :)

Bribery vs. Extortion vs. Blackmail

While we're on the crime topic, I wondered what the specific differences between bribery, extortion, and blackmail are

Here are the definitions via the legal-dictionary.com:

Bribery: "The offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of something of value for the purpose of influencing the action of an official in the discharge of his or her public or legal duties."  

Extortion: "The obtaining of property from another induced by wrongful use of actual or threatened force, violence, or fear, or under color of official right."  

Blackmail: "The crime involving a threat for purposes of compelling a person to do an act against his or her will, or for purposes of taking the person's money or property." 

Here are some further definitions via Merriam Webster:

Bribe, verb: 
1. (Legal) A benefit (as money) given, promised, or offered in order to influence the judgment or conduct of a person in a position of trust (as an official or witness)
2. To influence or try to influence dishonestly by giving or promising something 

Bribe, noun:
1. (Legal) A benefit (as money) given, promised, or offered in order to influence the judgment or conduct of a person in a position of trust (as an official or witness)
2. Something given or promised to a person in order to influence dishonestly a decision or action.  

Extort, verb:
1. (Legal) To obtain (as money) from a person by force, intimidation, or undue or unlawful use of authority or power
2. To gain especially by ingenuity or compelling argument  

Blackmail, noun: 1. (Legal) Extortion or coercion by often written threats especially of public exposure, physical harm, or criminal prosecution
2. The payment that is extorted 

Blackmail, verb: 1. To threaten to reveal a secret unless something is done (as paying money) 

As you can see, they are all related, and all seem to involve some sort of deception or threat in order for a criminal to get what s/he wants from another person. The differences seem to lie in who the crime is against and what is at stake for the victim.

If you understand the differences, please post examples so we can help each other distinguish between them.

(page updated 8/9/17)

What Is Racketeering?

After the 10th time I heard someone on a TV crime show get arrested for "racketeering" I finally looked up what it meant. Thought you might want to know, too!

One of the reasons it's hard to tell by context clues what racketeering is is because it actually is a pretty vague term involving all sorts of organized crime. The root of the word is "racket", which is an illegal business. Taking part in an illegal business is called "racketeering".

But what makes a business illegal? All sorts of things! Bribery, counterfeiting, embezzlement, extortion, obstruction of justice, money laundering, trafficking of stolen goods, etc etc etc.

So I think what makes a crime "racketeering" is that it's attached to a business, and it's typically part of an organized crime ring. The term was first used in 1927 to refer to the criminal acts of the Chicago Teamsters union.

[source: legal-dictionary.com]

Good Thing Times Have Changed...!

Via Reader's Digest:

"In 19th-century Japan and China, 'talks too much' was one of seven reasons for which a man could divorce his wife"

From The Art of Marriage: A Guide to Living Life as Two by Catherine Blyth

Eeeek. What were the other 6 reasons, I wonder?

Television Ads Will Have To Keep Quiet!

News from last month's Reader's Digest:

Muffle those TV ads: it's the law

The Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act was passed by the House and Senate, but the FCC will have a year to mull over regulations another year to enforce them.

What's it mean? It appears that within the next two years, television commercials won't be allowed to blast at a higher volume than the television show itself.

My ears are pretty stoked!

Trademarks, Copyrights, & Patents

Do you know what the difference is between these things?

As my former student Andrew pointed out, I have no real idea. :) So let's learn!

According to him:

Copyrights are for protecting an artists' creative works.
ie. J.K. Rowling has the copyright to the Harry Potter series.

Trademarks are for protecting the names and identifying marks used in commercial activity.
ie. The Target Corporation owns the trademark for its bulls-eye-target icon.

Patents are for scientific inventions, including machines, drugs, and the like.
ie. Apple has the patent for the iPod (and lucky them!).

Trademarks and copyrights don't need to be registered, though you get extra enforcement rights if you do register them. Patents have to go through the United States Patent & Trademark Office, and they have reviewers who look at applications and check to see whether the invention is actually new enough for a patent.

I could look all of this stuff up for you to name a source, but I believe Andrew! Thanks!

Types Of Government Explained...

... simply and with a lot of cheesy graphics. This defines American government looking through the eyes of the founding fathers.

I imagine this - as most political things are - is probably biased, but it still contains some good information!

Cheerleading Ruled "Not A Sport"

... by Federal Judge Stefan Underhill.

This all began when Quinnipiac University in Hamden Connecticut decided to cut their women's volleyball team due to budget issues. Under the 1972 federal law, Title IX, male and female college athletes have to be given equal opportunities. So Quinnipiac, in order to comply with Title IX, told the female volleyball players that competitive cheerleading would be an acceptable alternative. A lawsuit followed, and Judge Underhill found several places where the University wasn't adhering to Title IX, but what got the most headlines was his ruling on cheerleading as a Title IX sport.

From the New York Daily News:

Underhill wrote that "the University's competitive cheerleading team does not qualify as a varsity sport for the purposes of Title IX and, therefore, its members may not be counted as athletic participants under the statute."

Under Title IX, an activity can be considered a sport if it meets certain criteria, namely that it has coaches, practices, competitions during a defined season, a governing organization, and competition as its primary goal — not just the support of other athletic teams, reports The Associated Press.

Of course, hard-working competitive cheerleaders from all walks of life are disgusted with the ruling. But based on Title IX's criteria, even though cheerleaders do compete, it's not typically their primary purpose. So at the end of the day, the judge was correct in saying it's not a Title IX sport.

Maybe due to this ruling, more college squads will choose to just compete and not cheer on the sidelines? Guess we'll wait and see!

What An American Hopeful Should Know

In the 4th and last of the Detroit Free Press's United States trivia entries, here are some facts about American government, history, and geography that may come up on the US Citizenship test.

Would you pass the test? :)

1. The Constitution sets up the government, defines the government, and protects the basic rights of Americans.

2. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution: "We the people".

3. The First Amendment outlines the freedom of speech, religion, assembly, press, and petition of the government.

4. The Constitution has 27 amendments.

5. America uses a capitalist economy (market economy).

6. The "rule of law" is that everyone must follow the law; leaders must obey the law; government must obey the law; no one is above the law.

7. Some of the reasons that the colonists came to America were freedom, political liberty, religious freedom, economic opportunity, and to escape persecution.

8. The Constitution was written in 1787.

9. The US bought the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803.

10. The US fought four wars in the 1800s: the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Civil War, and the Spanish-American War.

11. There were several problems that led to the US Civil War, including slavery, economic reasons, and states' rights.

12. The Emancipation Proclamation ended slavery in the Confederacy.

13. Woodrow Wilson was president during World War I.

14. The two longest rivers in the US are the Mississippi River and the Missouri River.

15. The US flag has 13 stripes to represent the 13 original colonies.

Know all that? I don't know if I would pass a citizenship test, to be honest! Lucky for me I was born here!

Thanks Detroit Free Press for all your fun facts!

What An American College Student Should Know

For part 3 of the Detroit Free Press's US History trivia entries, here is what the University of Michigan expects its "Introduction to American Government" students to know.

1. At the Constitutional Convention, the institution of slavery was opposed by some delegates but was preserved in order to maintain unity among the states.

2. Proposed amendments to the Constitution must be supported by a 2/3rds vote in both houses of Congress. Amendments are ratified by either 3/4ths of the state legislature or 3/4ths of state conventions.

3. The Constitution does not establish any political parties.

4. Some of the public goods provided by the government are national defense, development of a uniform standard of weights and measures, and building interstate highways.

5. Legislation can be killed at several points in the legislative process, including on the House or Senate floor, during the conference report, or during the hearings and committee markup stage.

6. The US has a lower voter turnout than Italy, Mexico, and Canada.

7. In November, 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the US's first written constitution, known as the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union.

8. Under the original version of the current US Constitution, the part of elected government designed to be directly responsible to the people is the House of Representatives.

9. Under the US Constitution, the sole power to originate revenue bills is vested in the House of Representatives.

10. Limiting government by dividing it into two levels -- national and state -- each with sufficient independence to compete with the other is called Federalism.

Would you have passed? One more set of US trivia tomorrow!

What An American High Schooler Should Know

Today's entry is part two of the Detroit Free Press's US History trivia from Sunday. Here are the facts that the Detroit Public Schools expects its high schoolers to know about US Civics.

1. The best way for Americans to participate in government is to vote.

2. The main purposes of government are to maintain order, provide public services, and to provide national security.

3. The US government derives its power from the consent of the governed.

4. We use a system of checks and balances to prevent any branch of the government from having too much power.

5. The most important reason for having a limited form of government is to ensure government by public consent.

6. "Democracy" means a rule by the people.

7. The primary role of Congress is to write and enact laws.

8. Representative government is necessary in a democracy because we can't all get together in one place to discuss our problems.

9. Part of the reason the colonists declared independence from Britain on July 4th, 1776, was because they were seeking representation in government.

10. The three branches of the federal government are the executive, the judicial, and the legislative.

How are we doing so far? Pretty basic, right?

What An American 6th Grader Should Know

The Detroit Free Press posted a lengthy quiz about US History in last Sunday's newspaper. In keeping with the Independence Day theme, I decided to share some of their facts with you this week.

Today's facts come from what the Detroit Public Schools expect their 6th graders to know. How many facts did YOU know?

1. Thomas Jefferson helped lead the colonists to revolution by writing the Declaration of Independence (we learned that yesterday!).

2. The role of a constitution in democracy is to guide the government and list guaranteed rights of citizens.

3. In settling conflict, the principal listens to all students' point of view. The principal is protecting the students' constitutional right of Freedom of Speech.

4. People may help make or change laws by expressing their opinions to elected officials, voting, and circulating petitions (among other things).

5. One of the ways that a person may become a US citizen is to be born in the US or its territories.

6. US citizens have the right to vote, to hold elected office, to practice one's own religion, and to have a fair trial (among other things).

7. US citizens have the duty to obey laws, defend the nation, and pay taxes (among other things).

8. The colonists wanted to separate from Britain because they believed that all men are created equal, all men have some rights given to them by God, and all men have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

9. The framers of the Constitution wanted a representative government to limit its control.

10. The judicial branch of the US government protects the rights of citizens by creating laws.

Are you smarter than a 6th grader? :)

How Does A Bill Become A Law?

I wouldn't say that I confidently understand exactly how our government works. I could always learn more!

With all of the buzz about the new Health Care Bill, I realized I needed a refresher course on how a bill becomes a law. Actually, the clearest description I found comes from our friends at Schoolhouse Rock!

Watch and learn. :)

And here are the lyrics:

Boy: Woof! You sure gotta climb a lot of steps to get to this Capitol Building here in Washington. But I wonder who that sad little scrap of paper is?
I'm just a bill.
Yes, I'm only a bill.
And I'm sitting here on Capitol Hill.
Well, it's a long, long journey
To the capital city.
It's a long, long wait
While I'm sitting in committee,
But I know I'll be a law someday
At least I hope and pray that I will,
But today I am still just a bill.
Boy: Gee, Bill, you certainly have a lot of patience and courage.
Bill: Well I got this far. When I started, I wasn't even a bill, I was just an idea. Some folks back home decided they wanted a law passed, so they called their local Congressman and he said, "You're right, there oughta be a law." Then he sat down and wrote me out and introduced me to Congress. And I became a bill, and I'll remain a bill until they decide to make me a law.
I'm just a bill
Yes I'm only a bill,
And I got as far as Capitol Hill.
Well, now I'm stuck in committee
And I'll sit here and wait
While a few key Congressmen discuss and debate
Whether they should let me be a law.
How I hope and pray that they will,
But today I am still just a bill.
Boy: Listen to those congressmen arguing! Is all that discussion and debate about you?
Bill: Yeah, I'm one of the lucky ones. Most bills never even get this far. I hope they decide to report on me favourably, otherwise I may die.
Boy: Die?
Bill: Yeah, die in committee. Oooh, but it looks like I'm gonna live! Now I go to the House of Representatives, and they vote on me.
Boy: If they vote yes, what happens?
Bill: Then I go to the Senate and the whole thing starts all over again.
Boy: Oh no!
Bill: Oh yes!
I'm just a bill
Yes, I'm only a bill
And if they vote for me on Capitol Hill
Well, then I'm off to the White House
Where I'll wait in a line
With a lot of other bills
For the president to sign
And if he signs me, then I'll be a law.
How I hope and pray that he will,
But today I am still just a bill.
Boy: You mean even if the whole Congress says you should be a law, the president can still say no?
Bill: Yes, that's called a veto. If the President vetoes me, I have to go back to Congress and they vote on me again, and by that time you're so old...
Boy: By that time it's very unlikely that you'll become a law. It's not easy to become a law, is it?
Bill: No!
But how I hope and I pray that I will,
But today I am still just a bill.
Congressman: He signed you, Bill! Now you're a law!
Bill: Oh yes!!!

Brilliant! I guess it seems like it'll be a while before we have these major changes in America's health care system... if it changes at all!

Smoking Ban In Michigan!

The Michigan Legislature passed a smoking ban for indoor public places yesterday. The last step is Governor Granholm's signature, and then Michigan will become the 38th state to ban smoking in restaurants, bars, and work places. It will take effect this upcoming May.

After that, someone in Michigan will only be able to smoke in a private home, home office, car, casino, cigar bar, or outside. Or he or she can go to Indiana.

Since people typically have strong differing opinions on this topic, I won't state mine. I am just sharing something interesting I learned today. :)

Bankruptcy Exemptions

I learned playing a trivia game that if you declare bankruptcy, your creditors cannot, under any circumstances, take or sell your wedding ring. I guess the government is a little sentimental?

Also, according to the bankruptcy law network, "in virtually all states, IRA’s, KEOUGH’s, 401(k)’s and other retirement plans are fully exempt." So, you may not have any money now, but you may after you're 65!

Most people get to keep more than they think, actually. This article on Ezine is pretty interesting if you would like to know more about exemptions. Don't get any crazy ideas if you don't want to pay back all of your student loans or credit card bills, though, it still seems like bankruptcy is best used as a "last resort"!

"Love" Is Against The Law?

In Roseville, Michigan, an artist named Ed Stross was almost sentenced to 30 days in jail for painting the word "love" on a mural outside of his studio. He was found guilty of violating a city ordinance that limits signage on certain buildings, but the Michigan Court of Appeals overturned the verdict last week.

Although Stross is not in the clear yet - Michigan's Court of Appeals does want another trial to look at the case again. Apparently there is a disagreement over the constitutionality of the ordinance.

All for "love"!

I actually spent some time reading over the City of Roseville's Sign Ordinance, and I didn't see anything that prohibited painting words on buildings, unless he painted "love" too large or in the wrong spot. Then again, I lost interest around Item 9 (of 17). If you want to try to find the specific rule, click on the link above and read Chapter 264.

I did learn that any signs with moving lights are not allowed in Roseville. That alone makes the city much less appealing for me! :)

What Does A "State of Emergency" Mean?

With the autumn floods and hurricanes a'brewing, I have heard of several governors considering announcing a "State of Emergency". But what does that even mean? What happens after a leader declares it?

Virginia's government website gives a pretty clear answer. Here are some of their most common questions and answers about SOEs:

---

Q: What is a State of Emergency?

A: The governor declares a State of Emergency when s/he believes a disaster has occurred or may be imminent that is severe enough to require state aid to supplement local resources in preventing or alleviating damages, loss, hardship or suffering.

This declaration authorizes the governor to speed state agency assistance to communities in need. It enables him/her to make resources immediately available to rescue, evacuate, shelter, provide essential commodities (heating fuel, food, etc.) and quell disturbances in affected localities. It may also position the state to seek federal assistance when the scope of the event exceeds the [state's] resources.

Q: Does a State of Emergency declaration direct citizens to take any particular action?

A: No. The declaration empowers [the state's Department of Emergency Management] to act on behalf of the governor to employ the resources and assets of state agencies to provide immediate assistance to localities. Typically, the State Police, National Guard, and departments of Transportation and Health are called upon rather quickly to respond to the event, and other departments [or private agencies] are added as needed.

Q: Does a State of Emergency mean you aren't allowed to go anywhere or do anything until it's lifted?

A: The governor's declaration does not normally restrict citizen movements or activities. The state may limit access to affected areas due to concerns for public safety but will notify the public of these restrictions.

Q: How long will the State of Emergency remain in effect?

A: Basically, a State of Emergency remains in effect until it is no longer needed to provide necessary support to localities or until the threat of impending danger from the event has passed.

---

FYI. :)