Craigslist In The Crosshairs Again

"The guy is just a freak," Police Capt. Chuck Adams said.

That's never a good sign.

Today's Random Act of Craigslist (and all-around "What the crack?" moment) - some guy arranges for his wife's rape at knifepoint. So he can watch. (Where do they find these guys? And why isn't it under 24-hour guard?)

Experts say the case is likely to lead to more questions for Craigslist, which has faced criticism for its "erotic services" section.

Really? The Associated Press needed experts to tell them that? And anonymous experts? I'm betting that they're just a couple of guys from Accounting who went online to buy a couch or something. (Hey, maybe they're expert accountants.) Although I suppose if I were an expert, I wouldn't want to be quoted saying something so blindingly obvious. I'd hate to be sued after someone loses their sight.

Matt Zimmerman, of the Electronic Frontier Foundation says that this could happen on any online service that allows people to communicate directly without doing background checks. You'd think that a statement like that would go without saying, too, but given the short attention spans that have come into vogue these days, many people are likely unaware that the Internet consists of more than Craigslist, Google and Bizarro-world ads for faddish weight loss products.

On the other side of the ledger, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who is suspected of using his Crusade Against Craigslist® to springboard his political career, smells more fuel for the fire, and is asking that Craigslist turn the details over to him - so he can use the information against them. Too bad the Court of Public Opinion doesn't have the same rules against self-incrimination that criminal courts have. But good for Blumenthal, and good for the media, which will also be looking for some salacious details to sell papers -- er... drive eyeballs to their websites. (Sorry. Got behind the times there.)

In other news, Captain Adams has been nominated for every award given for Understatement in the known world. For the next fifty years.