It's All Relative

Sarah Palin Divorce: Really?

2009-08-01T16:05:00.000-07:00

Sarah Palin warned the media to "stop making things up" at her farewell speech. Now, there are reports all over the internet that she's divorcing her husband. Her spokesperson says it's all bogus. No divorce. But is that true? What is true with these people? Politicians, reporters, priests... who can you trust these days?

Sarah Palin Divorce: Whose Making This Stuff Up?

Ben Roethlisberger Hit With Rape Accusation

2009-07-21T23:41:00.000-07:00

Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback Ben Roethlisberger can't take any time off without something happening to him. During the offseason in 2006, he wrecked his bike. Seems that last year he was hanging out with a certain employee at Harrah's in Lake Tahoe by the name of Andrea McNulty. Now, Andrea McNulty claims that Ben Roethlisberger sexually assaulted her. She named him as one of eight co-defendants in a defamation civil lawsuit that was filed Friday, July 17. More on the beginning of the story here.

However, TMZ reported that a co-worker of Andrea McNulty said (yes, it's hearsay) sought psychiatric counseling over the loss of a lover -- that did not exist. It's an interesting story. Whether or not it is true is another...

Erin Andrews Peephole Video Update

2009-07-21T23:28:00.000-07:00

The Erin Andrews Peephole Video craze continues:

The New York Post decided to publish a few pictures of a naked Erin Andrews from the footage of the hotel peephole video. They were showing one thing, saying another.

It seems that the general terminology is becoming more euphemistic. It shouldn't. The Erin Andrews peephole video should be called what it is: an illegal peeping tom video production. Calling it an Erin Andrews video gives it a certain legitimacy it does not deserve.

Apollo 11 Moon Landing Hoax

2009-07-20T23:14:00.001-07:00

July 20, 1969. Apollo 11 lands on the moon and Neil Armstrong steps out onto the lunar surface.

Forty years later, conspiracy theorists are pecking away at mankind's greatest acheivement...

They say that the further we get from the dates of the actual moon missions (the last was in 1972), the less people believe man ever set foot there at all. Many believe that the Apollo moon landings, including Apollo 11 and Neil Armstrong's "one small step" was a hoax.

And at the same time, there are people that believe in ghosts, various gods, good and bad luck, the power of charms, voodoo, psychics and palmists, etc.

I'll stick with Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong, the fooprint, a round of golf, and that "giant leap"...

Watch Erin Andrews Video -- The Craze

2009-07-20T22:52:00.000-07:00

In the event that you've missed the total invasion of privacy that is the Erin Andrews Peephole Video internet craze, here's a little primer:

Erin Andrews has a right to her privacy.

Erin Andrews is one of the few female sportscasters that have succeeded without benefit of showing off her naked body in Playboy, "discovered" naked photos, swimsuit calendars, and/or a sex tape.

Men find Erin Andrews fascinating because she is the ideal mystery.

Looking at a naked Erin Andrews can give you a virus.

Who wants to see a naked Erin Andrews? Erin Andrews Peephole Video for sale. Buying a couple minutes can get you a couple years. Looks like someone's going to jail...

That about covers it... so far.

McCain Wins Debate!

2008-09-26T17:18:00.000-07:00

The Wall Street Journal ran an ad this morning, right around or before the McCain campaign announced that they were going to actually participate in the first presidential debate at the University of Mississippi, that said: "McCain Wins Debate!"

Talk about spin!! The GOP is so far ahead of the game that they're ahead of the game...

Joe Biden Gets VP Nod; CNN Preempts Text Message

2008-08-23T06:27:00.000-07:00

CNN's John King broke the story around midnight on "Larry King Live" that Barack Obama had chosen Senator Joe Biden for his vice presidential running mate. King found out through his sources that the Secret Service had been dispatched to Senator Biden's house and that Obama had called him to ask him formally if he would accept the vice president's slot in the Democratic Party ticket. What this does for the much-talked-about text message and e-mail notification we will have to see. I think there are going to be a few annoyed Obama supporters, but, what are they gonna do -- watch Fox News?

2008 NCAA Championship Game

2008-04-07T15:43:00.000-07:00

Saturday night, the Final Four became two. On Monday, April 7, the Memphis Tigers, who have the most single season wins in history, 38, will take on the storied Kansas Jayhawks, who have only lost 3 games this year themselves. Tip-off for the NCAA Championship Game is at 9:21 p.m. EST, live on CBS from the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

4000

2008-03-24T22:24:00.000-07:00

The death toll for American troops reached a terrible milestone on Sunday, March 23, when four soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb in Baghdad. This occurred just three days after the United States marked its fifth anniversary of invading and occupying Iraq. Still, president Bush states that America is on track to victory, and John McCain says that America is succeeding.

Victory over what?

Succeeding where?

The Eliot Spitzer Debacle/Trainwreck/Sex Scandal

2008-03-13T10:01:00.000-07:00

Unless you've been under a rock of late, the unfolding scandal of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer and his call girl addiction has been headline news. The New York Times yesterday (March 12) revealed that "Kristin", the call girl who serviced "George Fox" or "Client 9" in Washington for $4300, is 22-year-old R&B singer Ashley Alexandra Dupre. Spitzer announced his resignation yesterday as well, briefly telling the press that he took full responsibility for his actions and that Lt. Gov. David Paterson will take over as governor of New York on Monday, March 17.

It is interesting to note that every New York City paper called for Spitzer's resignation, except for the New York Times.

Water, Water Everywhere... But Not A Drop To Drink...

2008-03-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

It would seem that it would be in the national interest for the federal government to not only oversee and regulate -- or at least set minimum standards -- the amounts of foreign substances in drinking water. And they do, for a few things. But not pharmaceuticals.

But, you say, there shouldn't be any drugs in my drinking water, not unless you've mixed them in the tapwater yourself. You might say that. You might expect that. Just don't be too sure about it.

The Associated Press has conducted a probe of drinking water in various cities and found reports of trace amounts of drugs in 25 major metropolitan areas in the United States. Only Albuquerque, N. M., Austin, Texas, and Virginia Beach, Virginia, reported that they had negative results from testing for drugs. Of 52 municipalities with populations numbering around 25,000 contacted by AP throughout the U.S., only one said that they had even screened for drugs in their water. Even in Canada, a study in Ontario found nine different drugs in the water of 20 treatment facilities.

Imagine what the water supply is like in other parts of the world...

So what is in the water? Well, name it. Pain medication, ibuprofen, aceteminophen, depression medication, hormones, asthma medications, dietary enhancers, diet pills, epilepsy medication, medicine for mental illness, heart problems, cholesterol, ad infinitum.

How could this have happened? Think of everything stored in every medicine cabinet in your family. Think about all the prescription medicine that's flushed down the toilet, outdated and extant. Think about all the drugs taken by people and discharged through various body functions. Think about these things as occurring in instances numbering in the hundreds and thousands and millions on a daily basis for years. Now, think about how difficult it might be to eliminate all the drugs in the water. Daunting, to say the least...

So, if it is just trace amounts, what is the problem? Well, no one seems to know the cumulative effect on the human population of long-term continued exposure to such tainted water. And, given the side effects and aftereffects, not to mention the actual intended effects, of many of these drugs on unsuspecting people who don't need, don't want, or may be allergic to or could die from exposure to them, well... the potential for problems is astronomical.

The question now is: What is going to be done about it? What can be done about it? What can the governments of nations and separate municipalities do to protect the populace against the possibility of harm? What can individuals do in the interim to protect themselves, their families?

With all the harmful microbes and water-borne pathogens that seem to creep into our water supplies by various means, potentially harmful or toxic levels of pharmaceuticals in the drinking water coming from the kitchen tap should not be something the average person should have to worry about...

Arrest Made In Lauren Burk Murder

2008-03-07T21:58:00.000-08:00

CNN announced late Friday, March 7, that an arrest of a suspect had been made in connection to the Lauren Burk murder case. Lauren Burk, 18, a freshman at Auburn University, was found with a gunshot wound to the head late Tuesday night. She later died at a nearby hospital.

Courtney Lockhart, 23, of Phenix City, Alabama, was arrested after a police chase and his car broke down. Lockhart was already a suspect in several robberies in the area. He faces charges of counts of capital murder, capital murder during a robbery, and capital murder during an attempted rape.

It is believed that police obtained an image of Lockhart from a surveillance camera at a local convenience store. NASA was involved in enhancing the image to make a more positive identification.

A second Georgia woman (Burk was from Marietta), Eve Carson, 22, of Athens, President of the student body of the University of North Carolina, was found fatally shot in the head Wednesday morning. According to the Associated Press, a photograph of a possible suspect or "person of interest" has been circulated among local police departments but no details were given to the press or the public. This latest update is far better news than the previous assertions being made that Carson's killing was the result of a random act of violence and that there were no suspects.

For a quick synopsis of these two cases, see "Two Georgia Women, Two Colleges, Two Shootings."

Catch Malaria And Make $4000? Why Seattle And Not Jakarta?

2008-03-07T10:05:00.000-08:00

The Seattle Biomedical Research Institute is looking for a few brave souls to volunteer for a study where participants are to be infected with malaria. According to the Associated Press, no lives are in danger, they're simply testing various vaccines to see which cures the quickest. The program is being overseen by the Food and Drug Administration and all volunteers will be monitored.

Here's the problem I have with this study. Why conduct the experiment at the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute (or a nearby hotel, where the participants will be monitored)? Since they already know that the vaccines work and are only testing for speed, why not get someone like Doctors Without Borders or some other foundation to ship the study to, say, Indonesia, Bolivia, or the Congo region in Africa? You know, places where people are already infected, are becoming infected, and could use a cure?

Here's another problem: $4000 is a lot of money, especially to a starving student (or artist or whatever) and goes a long way to distract a person from the fact that they're volunteering to be infected with a life-threatening disease. But if you took that $4000 to, say, Indonesia, Bolivia, or the Congo, that kind of money would be far more beneficial to the recipient. According to a report by the Workers Rights Consortium, Indonesia's average prevailing household wage in 2006 was $82.15 (0.47 an hour) a month. The International Monetary Fund puts Indonesia over $150 per capita a month in 2007. Numbers gleaned from the IMF's World Economic Outlook Database show that the average wage in the Republic of the Congo was $71.33 (in international dollars) a month in 2007. In Bolivia, it was $143.67 (also international dollars) a month.

So tell me again why the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute is paying people $4000 for a research study on healthy people in a region where they'll probably never be exposed to malaria while millions who are exposed to and die from malaria every day could be helped or saved as they conduct their study?