University of Alberta Faculty of Law Blog

John Oliver on Civil Forfeiture

Starbucks' Names

So when you go to Starbucks and they ask your name, do you give your real name or do you give an easy to spell one for fear of it getting mangled? Do you think of giving a clever name so you can do one a Spartacus prank:

 

 Or do you not give any name, because no matter what name you give, it may compromise your job? Yup, if you work for the CIA, then giving your name may not the best thing for your covert operations. And forget getting the gold card. That may compromise your lifestyle too. And if you are the barrista, don't tell anyone where you work either,

Super Size me?

Notwithstanding Morgan Spurlock's movie Super Size Me, it seems that eating at McDonald's can actually help lose weight:

 Last fall, John Cisna -- a science teacher from Des Moines, Iowa -- ate nothing but McDonald's for 90 days and wound up losing 37 pounds! Hold the mustard! How the heck can that be right? 

Read the article to find out how. Take that you fat-taxers.

New Publisher in Edmonton

Here's something you don't see often: a new book publisher! But it is true. A new book publisher for literary and historical fiction is opening up in Edmonton:

Stonehouse Publishing is open for business, with plans to publish its first five titles in the spring of 2016.

Friends Netta Johnson and Julie Yerex started the press in part to address what they see as a gap in the market for historical and literary fiction. Both are avid readers of historical fiction set in western Europe, and book lovers generally. They’re also avid volunteers and moms. They decided to team up as publishing partners to address what Yerex calls a ‘crisis-y’ feeling about what to do next in life. “We were both drawn to the idea of moving in a new direction,” Johnson added.

Carpe Carp

Just how exactly did an invasive species known as the Asian carp manage to clog up many of America's rivers and lakes? It turns out state planning had something to do with that.

Watch the Vice News video below from its documentary about the Asian Carp, and stick to the end to see that state planning may have started a bigger issue than just monster fishes. Warning: it is a Vice News production, so some foul language here and thereand some politically incorrect language at the start:

 

 

Spain and Scotland (and Quebec)

With independence votes in the air, it would seem natural that Catalonia wants a vote. But now a court has effectively suspended it.  If there is a lesson Spain should learn from Scotalnd and Quebec, it is that is is better to allow the vote and explain the merits than trying to ban a vote in the first place. Otherwise, you end up like China in HK.

Potato Salad Anyone?

How much money do you need to make a potato salad? If you are using Kickstarter, then $55,000 ought to do the trick!