Ohio…the “Nanny State”

Dec 092011
 
 December 9, 2011  Posted by  Tagged with: , ,
Ohio…the “Nanny State”

Full confession: I used to be a fat kid.  I was a scrawny, sickly toddler until my concerned grandparents decided to plump me up.  So, between the ages of three and five, I went from underweight to severely overweight. According to a recent Associated Press release, an 8-year old boy from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, is being placed into foster care because his family has failed to control his weight, which the state has determined to be a form of “medical neglect.”  Weighing slightly over 200 pounds, the boy suffers from severe obesity; most boys his age are only 60 pounds.  Despite the mother’s protests that she has tried her best to help him, the state has determined that it is in the boy’s interest to be temporarily placed in a More…

L for Lingerie

Nov 282011
 
 November 28, 2011  Posted by  Tagged with: ,
L for Lingerie

The first ever time I read about LFL, I thought it stood for Ladies Football League. I pictured women in shoulder pads and helmets and you know, football. Well, I was right about all of that except for the “Ladies” part, and from the title, I’m sure you know what is coming. Yes, LFL stands for Lingerie Football League, and it is, as the name suggests, women playing football in their lingerie. Attractive women in lingerie playing football? It probably does not take wild imagination to realize why it attracts a primarily male audience. Judging from the highlights, the football part is real and it is definitely not just a strip show designed to appeal to men’s pleasure. In fact, judging from everything I’ve been reading, the women players love More…

Separation of Mind and State

Nov 212011
 
 November 21, 2011  Posted by  Tagged with: , ,
Separation of Mind and State

Despots and dictators, get excited. Finally, first world countries are helping you out a bit. For so many years, you had to live with just standard torture methods. And while they’re great for extracting confessions, there’s something missing… There’s nothing quite like being able to really prove that your prisoners are trying to overthrow your regime. I mean peace loving power stabilization machine. But fear not, the day you’ve all been waiting for is almost here! From ripping a person open to using X-Rays and giant magnets, there are a number of ways to find out what is going on in somebody’s head. It’s recently been shown, however, that it is possible to get a glimpse of what is going on in their mind. Scientists at a number of institutions More…

The Dark Knight Rises…in Seattle

Nov 072011
 
 November 7, 2011  Posted by  Tagged with: , ,
The Dark Knight Rises…in Seattle

Fans of masked heroes will be thrilled to know that vigilante justice is not unique to Gotham City.  According to a recent Reuter’s article, Seattle’s very own Phoenix Jones has been unmasked. Phoenix, whose real name is Benjamin Fodor, was recently arrested for assault after pepper-spraying patrons of a local night club because he suspected that they were involved in a street brawl.  When the police arrived, Fodor was being attacked by an angry woman with her shoes.   The Seattle police have not charged Fodor, and he vows to return to vigilante work. See the video below to catch Phoenix/Fodor in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4bjJAAALDE This case raises two important issues. First, should vigilante justice seekers be subject to the same punishments under the law?  I would argue that despite his intentions More…

#OccupyWallStreet (TM)

Oct 312011
 
 October 31, 2011  Posted by  Tagged with: ,
#OccupyWallStreet (TM)

If it existed, I would imagine that official Occupy Wall Street merchandise would be the new I <3 NY – at least for a while. Everyone would have to have a t-shirt or a mug – the protesters, tourists and the people who stand in solidarity with the protesters because it’s always trendy to be anti-establishment. But doesn’t it seem strange that someone would be able to profit off of a movement started because of unfair moneymaking games? Some people have sold merchandise online for the purpose of raising money for the movement. But one Long Island couple paid almost $1,000 to file a trademark application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office last week for the phrase “Occupy Wall St” for their own business purposes. Additionally, Fer-Eng Investments, LCC More…

Should College Athletes Be Paid?

Oct 302011
 
 October 30, 2011  Posted by  Tagged with: ,
Should College Athletes Be Paid?

I love college sports. I love the energy, the passion, and the live-or-die association from the fans. I love the team oriented approach, the strategies, and the varieties of styles. I love the rivalries, the traditions, and the idea that these athletes are just students like us doing what they love. Actually, I just came back from Tobacco Roadhouse Sports Bar and concluded a full day of college football, and it was nothing short of glorious (minus the devastating Duke loss). Part of what I love is changing, however, with the recent realignments – with teams changing conferences to get better TV deals – and with the increasing number of scandals that has been exposed (illegal benefits offered in big time programs such as Ohio State, UNC, Miami, USC, etc). More…

Nudity is Okay…Only after Dark

Oct 252011
 
 October 25, 2011  Posted by  Tagged with: ,
Nudity is Okay…Only after Dark

According to a recent Reuter’s article, a New York artist was arrested on lewdness and indecent exposure charges for painting (on) a nude model in the middle of Times Square.  His lawyer argued that that public nudity is acceptable in the name of art, and as a result, an interesting compromise has been reached. Charges against Mr. Andy Golub (the artist) will be dropped if he agrees to: Only paint bare breasts during the day. Instruct the model to keep her g-string on until after dark. Not violate conditions 1 or 2 for the next 6 months. This contract raises two interesting questions. First, what should be considered art?  Click on the following video to decide for yourself if Mr. Golub’s models constitute “artwork.” Mr. Golub argues that painting nude More…

A thieving church and amnesty that amounts to impunity

Oct 252011
 
 October 25, 2011  Posted by  Tagged with:
A thieving church and amnesty that amounts to impunity

“Son, I am sorry that I had to wait until the hour of my death to tell you the truth, I wish I had had the courage to reveal it to you earlier. I am not your biological father! I bought you from hospital X when you were Y days old!” Imagine being told that by the man you have known all your life as your dad. It would be heartbreaking, to say the least. This is exactly the situation that two men in their forties, Juan Luis Moreno and Antonio Barroso, found themselves confronting earlier this year in Spain as recounted by this BBC article. All their lives, they had lived a lie; believing that the parents they lived with were their biological parents. Their situation is not unique More…

The Ugly Truth

Oct 212011
 
 October 21, 2011  Posted by  Tagged with: ,
The Ugly Truth

If you could receive a pay raise worth hundreds of thousands of dollars by declaring yourself “ugly,” would you do it? Some people would. Maybe they should; that is, maybe their looks really are costing them job opportunities, promotions, sales, trials, or a better deal on their mortgage (see this New York Times op-ed to read more). Studies over the past twenty years demonstrate that the attractively challenged have a valid argument. Daniel S. Hamermesh is a professor of economics at the University of Texas, Austin and author of Beauty Pays. He suggests this form of prejudice deserves compensation like any other “disability.” But why is monetary compensation our reaction to hearing this information? We’re told that “ugly” people are being disadvantaged solely due to their lack of attractiveness, and More…

Permissible Plagiarism?

Oct 192011
 
 October 19, 2011  Posted by  Tagged with: , ,
Permissible Plagiarism?

Recently, I’ve read numerous reports of artists who have offended their fans and contemporaries with arguably the most heinous crime an artist can commit. Usher, Bob Dylan, and Beyoncé have all been called plagiarists. The New York Times reports that critics have noted that some of Bob Dylan’s paintings in New York’s Gagosian Gallery seem to bear striking resemblances to others’ photographs. Take a look at his work, “Opium” above and Leon Busy’s “Woman Smoking Opium.” Usher is contesting claims that his 2004 hit “Burn” gained a bit too much of its influence from songwriter Eric Lee Straughter’s “The Reasons Why.” My apparently musically underdeveloped ears could not sense significant similarities between the two songs, but Usher may have to testify before a jury to defend his originality. Similarities between More…

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