Archive for on the News
Family Circus–Take The Doctor’s License
Often with my busy schedule, I’m a few days learning the news and when I do get a chance to read the newspaper, I just scan the headlines. One headline that caught my eye yesterday was the story of the mother, Nadya Suleman, 33, who recently had eight babies and the scrutiny of the fertility doctor who helped her achieve these new brothers and sisters to her already existing six children. (more…)
The Rich Man’s Pawn Shops
It’s funny how perceptions change during trying times. If someone were to say they’re headed to a pawnshop to sell an old television because they wanted to replace it with a new one, some might think people are really hocking their television for some quick cash. Still others might believe the only people that pawn personal property are drug abusers or thieves.
It’s those perceptions that lead to creative ways to stay politically correct during these trying times we all face today. What I discovered on my recent trip to Florida while speaking at FotoFusion in Delray Beach are what’s called second-hand resale shops, or the once rich man’s pawn shops. (more…)
Have It Your Way, 9-inches Works
People magazine provides a colorful 2-page spread and article in their Jan. 12 issue that plugs author Alex Bogusky’s “9-Inch Diet” book which became available at most book stores this week. This weight-loss and diet themed issue of People is fatter than normal as it’s double-thick. People fails to mention in their article that Bogusky’s day-job is partially funded by major clients like Burger King and Domino’s Pizza.
What’s even funnier, according to Advertising Age, “In referencing the obnoxiously large portions that are responsible for growing butts in the U.S., the article depicts McDonald’s fries and drinks as examples.” They further state, “…the adman blames gigantic portions for the country’s obesity epidemic, offering as the cure smaller plates. ” (more…)
Fire-Safe Cigarettes? Oxymoron?
As of Thursday, Jan. 1st, twenty-two states have enacted laws that require stores to sell cigarettes that are fire-safe and slow-burning. While I’ll be the first to tell you cigarette smoke and smoking are bad for your health, I’ll also tell you I sometimes use cigarettes, thanks to the dirty habit I picked up while serving as an active-duty soldier for the U.S. Army years ago. But now the new cigarettes are coated with an ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer emulsion? A chemical found in material safety data sheets and labeled in a Group 2 status by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a carcinogenic.
In fact, before my time and more during my father’s military time when he served in the Army during the Korean War, the soldiers were provided cigarettes with their food rations while on deployments. I’m not going to rehash what’s been settled in the legal system about the tobacco company conspiracies, but I will ask you, especially if you’re a smoker, do you agree with these new “fire-safe” cigarettes?
The claim from the Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes is that about 800 Americans die each year from fires caused by careless smokers. The coalition also claims that number will be reduced in half by these new cigarettes. Based on the known fact that over 50% of statistics are made up, I’m not sure how they derived those numbers, but what I’m sure about is that these laced cigarettes are probably going to produce more harm to a greater number of smokers than the harm they already incur.
