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Fighting Spam With A 17th Century Law

Posted by Hemos on from the look-to-the-past-for-our-current-tools dept.

A reader writes "Here is an interesting article which describes how a law from the year 1610 could make Spam illegal in Australia. The same story in german can be found here." Actually, since the law stems from King James I (the VI, if you are Scottish), as such, could be held British Commonwealth wide.

14 of 334 comments (clear)

  1. Created in response to this by InterruptDescriptorT · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's well known that this was enacted after this scroll was found kingdom-wide, causing no end of ladies to faint, the filling of dustbins and a temporary shortage of parchment:

    Lords and squires,

    Were you aware of the fact that you could increaseth the size of your penis by as much as half a cubit? Come visit the apothecary and essay the new miracle tonic by Dr. Goodfellow! You'll have all the fair maidens screaming, 'Good Knight!'

    :)

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    Karma: Excellent Birds (mostly as a result of listening to Laurie Anderson)
  2. This could get interesting by cecil36 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I wonder what type of legal precedent could be set should a ruling be made against spam. I could imagine the judge saying "Thou art guilty of spamming. Thou shalt be sentenced to spend the rest of thy mortal life with Bernard Shifman in the royal dungeon."

  3. Half a cubit?!?!? by wiredog · · Score: 5, Funny

    IIRC, a cubit is roughly 3 feet (1 meter). I think the ladies would run screaming for the exits if they saw that waving around!

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    1. Re:Half a cubit?!?!? by Raetsel · · Score: 4, Funny

      Geez... I always thought a cubit was defined as the distance from a grown man's elbow to his outstretched fingertips. I do know it's commonly accepted to be approximately 18 inches (which converts to about 0.457 meters).

      Still... adding on 9 inches could be... painful. Just ask any woman who's had her ovaries jostled by an overeager fellow -- feels a lot like a kick to the goolies for the guys. It'll end the festivities REAL quick.

      • "...run screaming for the exits..."
      Certainly a very possible reaction -- that, or they nominate the fellow for "Hung Jury." (Don't know what Hung Jury is? Use your imagination, or look it up. Hint: dating for women who like to "live large.")
      --

      "...America's great minds of today, teaching America's great minds of tomorrow. Poor bastards." -- A Beautiful Min
  4. Yeah right by NiftyNews · · Score: 3, Funny

    Yeah right, as if this would ever hold up in court.

    What's the penalty, being placed in a stockade? 30 Lashings? Or maybe getting tied up and tossed off the front of a moving ship like pirates used to do?

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    1. Re:Yeah right by smnolde · · Score: 3, Funny

      Being tossed off the front of a moving ship is called keel-hauling. Usually you're tied to a rope around the waist, thrown off the front and then you must swim down to prevent being hit by the keel and rudder. When (and if) you survive coming out the aft you're pulled up and out of the water only to be thrown back off the front.

      Rinse - lather - repeat.

  5. It took them over 200 years... by dbretton · · Score: 2, Funny

    But England finally has a valid argument why the US should give the colonies back.

    -Dennis

  6. Spamish Inquisition? by jfrumkin · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hmmm, no one expects it.....

    --

    "What we have here, is a failure to communicate." - Cool Hand Luke
  7. Brings back memories... by bachelor3 · · Score: 5, Funny

    The ancient law forbids a person from interfering with the goods and chattels of another person without their consent.

    Ah, I remember the first time I had my chattels interfered with. It was at a drive-in...uh...no, wait. I think I misunderstood.

  8. Cool! by Bob+McCown · · Score: 5, Funny


    Does that mean that 17th century punishments apply? Beheading? Burning at the stake?

    1. Re:Cool! by heikkile · · Score: 3, Funny
      Does that mean that 17th century punishments apply? Beheading? Burning at the stake?

      Too kind for them. No, we will deport them to Australia!

      --

      In Murphy We Turst

  9. Ancient Laws... by DrWhom · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well, okay ... that's the porn sorted. D'you think we could use the Anti-Witchcraft laws now to get rid of pop-ups, pop-unders, pop-bys and the rest!?

  10. Re:Can't we do better? by Sabalon · · Score: 5, Funny

    So, what I'm seeing here is that if anyone does something to me over the internet that I don't like, I get corn?

    Lets send this solution to everyone via mass e-mails labeled "MAKE CORN FAST!!!" ;)

  11. The Spam Mafia?! by citizenc · · Score: 3, Funny

    Spammers can make $1 million a month and many are part of international crime syndicates, Kim Heitman, chairman of internet rights group Electronic Frontiers Australia, said.

    If they're part of an international crime syndicate, do you think we could form a little geek syndicate of our own and start a war? :)