A New Fad Diet

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7370362.stm

I think it's safe to say that no person in the world weighing 400lbs, for those of you not down with the metric system or the British stone, is a healthy human being. All that weight, regardless of height is putting undue stress on the joints and organs of the individual. To think that this man lost 100lbs from his monstrous frame and had the gall to complain about it is absurd. Losing that weight probably added years to his life. Not that he has much to look forward to from the looks of it. I imagine that the evidence is stacked heavily against him if he has been in prison awaiting trial for a full eight months. Also, I find it patently absurd for him to be complaining about the lack of physical excercise opportunities. Who is he trying to kid?

Perhaps there should be a bullshit clause in civil litigation. I'd like to see people who submit claims of this ilk publicly humiliated. Perhaps the mere specter of being tarred and feathered would clear the courts of time wasting suits.

Its A Mugatu Thing

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills! Has the whole world gone mad? At first, I thought I stumbled unknowingly onto a website with satirical stories like this one. Unfortunately, the link leading you to the children's book "My Pretty Mommy" is all too real. Now, I completely understand that there are difficulties present for youngsters with mothers who alter their physical appearance. I'm sure it can be a jarring experience. And, I would never begrudge anyone the opportunity to make that change. What I don't support is that this book irresponsibly promotes values that aren't appropriate for youngsters. They should not be exposed to what amounts to a marketing campaign extolling the virtues (read superficial values) of plastic surgery. That book cover is all wrong. The "pretty mommy" is standing there with her midriffed bared (Warning: I'm starting to sound like an old codger) surrounded by magical sparkles while her child looks up her in adoration. Its as if Tinker Bell descended from the heavens, waved her magic wand and made mommy pretty. In the immortal words of Jack Black in Anchorman, "What the hell, bra?"

Dudley Debate

Last night the two remaining candidates duked it out debate style to win the hearts and minds of the voters in PA and beyond. I'll tell who wasn't the big winner last night....the viewers. I made it through approximately one hour of the shenanigans on ABC before I wished I was watching Robocop 2 again. That Officer Murphy played by Peter Weller really knows a thing or two about street justice. I would have liked to see him asking the questions of the two candidates rather than the 45 minute inquisition about past mistakes. Good grief. I'm shocked we haven't learned whether or not Sens. Clinton and Obama would like to take back that second snickers bar they ate after lunch in the second grade. Anyway, I thought the most important thing to happen during the debate was that Barack Obama looked and sounded exhausted. Hillary, too, sounded tired, but less so than her opponent. This effect was probably aided by the maniacal smile plastered on her face as questions were lobbed Obama's way regarding Clinton's Bosnia stance in the nineties. Overall, I give this debate four thumbs down. 

Might Want to Rethink That

I haven't written in quite some time. No reason for the hiatus. However, I felt inspired to write a little today.

As I watched the Kansas Jayhawks mount an improbable comeback against the Memphis Tigers in the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship I had a lot of thoughts going through my head. The first was that this game was wildly entertaining. I haven't enjoyed a final game like that in quite some time. The second was that even though it was a fun game, it wasn't terribly well played. And, I had this thought way before the missed free throws. Looking at the shot chart at half time it was revealed that KU had scored exactly one basket that wasn't a layup or a dunk. How could that be? How could one of the best teams in the country make one jump shot in an entire half? The trend continued. Before Mario Chalmers of KU hit that memorable 3-pointer to tie the game in the waning seconds, Kansas had hit just a handful of jumpers. It seemed like both teams were comfortable driving blindly to the rim with the hopes of a defensive miscue or a put back. Anyway, I won't harp much more because it truly was a fun game to watch and because I was left with one feeling above all the rest. As Chris Douglas Roberts and Derek Rose were both bricking free throws that could have iced the game, I couldn't help but think of an interview John Calipari gave earlier in the year. He was talking about the new offense that he implemented this year. The image that is indelibly burned into my brain is of Calipari telling his interviewer his recruiting strategy. He mentioned that if you think that you're a nice player who can set picks and rebound that he has no use for you. He wants players that can dribble, shoot and above all, attack. The next question dealt with the free throw shooting woes of his team. A loose rendition of the quote with which he responds is that, "If I'm judging a recruit based on 25 different things, I put free throw shooting at 26." Well, do you think Coach Calipari might want to rethink that strategy?

Criminal Care

This is criminal. There really isn't much more to say here. How the CEO of a non-profit hospital can take home a shade over 16 million dollars in a year that they only spend 20 million on charity care is beyond me. The entire point of the tax breaks is to provide care for those who otherwise could not afford it. Its about giving someone the surgery they need instead of amputating a limb, its about taking preventative measures to ensure that cancer does not metastasize. I can assure you that tax breaks are not for marble floors and flat screen televisions. While I'm no doctor, I think its safe to say that never in recorded history has an ear infection been treated with 2 hours of Desperate Housewives, even if it is in precious HD. As a tax payer, I am shocked. As a human being, I am appalled. This needs to stop.

In the 1940s Sen. Harry S. Truman created the preparedness committee that exposed military waste. He traveled the country, showing up at military bases unannounced and demand to see how tax dollars were being spent. It was not the first example of his sense of fiscal accountability and it would follow him to the White House, where he famously displayed the saying "The Buck Stops Here". It would serve us greatly to find our own Trumanesque character to sniff out waste and fraud of this sort because this negligence costs people their lives.

A Question of Liberty

I came across this article the other day and it peaked my interest. The idea that an individual’s personal liberty might be infringed by not allowing them to represent themselves despite displaying a sound mind is troubling. Similarly, the notion that the potential to turn the court into a carnival thusly delaying delivering justice is worrisome. I tend to lean towards the conservative side when it comes to personal liberty and would normally fully back Scalia’s opinion. However, I don’t see there being any harm whatsoever in requiring an attorney to accompany a person with a similar mental health history during the trial. As far as leading the defensive strategy, the defendant would have every opportunity to present his or her case to the jury in the manner that they see fit. If, however, the defensive strategy descends into something that is detrimental to themselves or to the court, the attorney would be able to seamlessly insert his or herself into the proceedings without missing a beat. I think it is of the utmost importance for this country to continue to allow people the opportunity to defend themselves. That being said, our jails are overpopulated as it is and there is no need to further populate them with individuals suffering from mental deficiencies.