I can't stop asking WHAT THE HELL?

[ladycaviar]

What the hell?

Keene artist had hard time getting back into US

By LOHR McKINSTRY
Staff Writer

KEENE VALLEY -- Keene Valley resident Jerilea Zempel was detained at the U.S. border this summer because she had a drawing of a sport-utility vehicle in her sketchbook.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers told Zempel they suspected her of copyright infringement. [italics mine]

She was released after more than an hour in custody at the Houlton, Maine, port of entry from New Brunswick, Canada.

Her release came only after she persuaded border guards she was an artist doing a project that involved a crocheted SUV as a statement against America's dependence on oil and love for big vehicles.  [oh go on, you know you want to read the rest of it now, it's like a train wreck, it's too late to avert your eyes now, ahahahahahhaha]

I can't wrap my mind around this on so many levels.
First, she had to think of something this craptastic and idiotic and draw it out.
Then, someone had to go looking for it.
Then, they had to think it looked like somebody else's work -- like the famous one? implying there's more than one of these horrors in the world?
And the detainment just boggles my mind.

For ten minutes, I was incapable of forming full sentences.
A car cosy what? what the hell?
she what the hell?
what what the hell?
copyright infringewhat the hell?
what what oh my god what I can't what did they what was she what the hell?
read the part what the hell?
[a small intermission for full-on cackling laughter]
Was this the Canadian border what the hell?
I don't understand the what the hell?
Oh god. Oh god.

Oh send me that link. I'll be right back...

Comments

[dameroksanne.livejournal.com]

How stupid are US Customs officials?

Is my gov't hiring the people who could not cut it at Dairy Queen?

[ladycaviar.livejournal.com]

I want to know what they thought it infringed upon. How many crocheted car cosies are out there?

*hides behind couch, cowering*

now that truly terrifies me...

[bronx-baroness.livejournal.com]

Yes and many of them work at Dulles.

[thlchiara.livejournal.com]

I agree about many of them working at Dulles. You do mean the airport, right? I can only comment on the ones I work with. But hey, you can only have a few competent people working in the same place, otherwise it is just to logical to get the job done. Hugs to all!

[scascot.livejournal.com]

Wha...?

I still can't...what the HELL? This...I...They...WHAT THE HELL?!

Head hurts now.

[(Anonymous)]

holy shite. now I'm glad that I have a substantial yarn stash - car cozys are going to ruin the world's supply of yarn!!! a single skein of double ply will sell for hundreds!!!

and I will rule, from my seekrit stash, the totes upon totes hidden in the basement.... yes!

[katyakievskaya.livejournal.com]

laugh if you will...some who have to deal with borders are now wondering what other dumb-ass thing they'll find to object to. And coming *into* the U.S., as a citizen, for cryin' out loud. *going to go eat a pint of ice cream in mourning now*

[bronx-baroness.livejournal.com]

Maybe, oh one can HOPE, that it wasn't about the Car Cozy. Maybe it was about the car? ohgod ohgod ohgod....(insert cackling laugh here)

[ladycaviar.livejournal.com]

Having worked for patent, copyright and trademark attorneys, I had hoped that myself. However, please see said sketch.

(http://pics.livejournal.com/ladycaviar/pic/0001k6rp/)

[ioseph-locksley.livejournal.com]

Someday let me tell the tale of going INTO Canada, and the nice Canadian man who was Very Suspicious of my guitar fingerpicks (obviously an exotic weapon!).

Or leaving Canada, and having my instrument case (it holds two guitars and a banjo, on wheels) x-rayed and the Suspicion that was immediately cast upon me because the inspectors had no clue what a banjo was ....

Gotta love Big Brother on both sides of the border. Remember: Big Government is Better Government: just look at England these days.

[keastree.livejournal.com]

We have made Facebook Thingies in your honor now. You are an object of worship because of this.

[ladycaviar.livejournal.com]

must... resist... oh screw it. Where might I find these Facebook Thingies of Idolation? [braces self...]

[keastree.livejournal.com]

Must friend Kea Erisdottir and then we can do so.

[johnomar915.livejournal.com]

Umm....I....oh....ummmm....WHAT?????....I mean.....ummmmmm

[herveus.livejournal.com]

*boggle*

[dr-zrfq.livejournal.com]

To slightly misparaphrase Lois McMaster Bujold (via Miles Vorkosigan), Charlie Foxtrots on this scale require entire committees to be screwing up. My brain spent ten minutes trying to make *any* sense *at all* out of *any part* of this, and then balled up the whole CF and threw it in the dumpster.

The dumpster promptly went into convulsions and died.

Car cozy

[(Anonymous)]

Laugh if you must, but nothing keeps my SUV warm at night like my hand-knitted cozy.

You know who else liked to laugh at things? Adolf Hitler, that's who.

Re: Car cozy

[ladycaviar.livejournal.com]

Rhys? Is that you? I'm taking it the narcotics kicked in?

Or, goodie, I have a creepy but funny stalker...

SUV Drawing at the border

[mistress-nerak.livejournal.com]

Ah, but did the drawing include a GUN RACK in the back window?