Random links of interest, concern or curiosity from the past week or so, that deserve at least a SHORT mention:
Court Grants Amazon River Legal ‘Rights’ ~ The song may have referred to the Mississippi as “Old Man River,” but we never pretended it actually was one ~
Yes, the world’s greatest river can now be added to the growing list of local environments, glaciers, and waterways — including the Ganges — granted legally enforceable rights by courts or statutes.
This is a ludicrous development. The Amazon River is a geological feature! Sure, it is magnificent and necessary to life in the region. But, good grief, it has no volition. It is a body of water.
CBS Highlights NFL Cheerleader Discriminated Against for Being Christian ~ Refreshing to see a network news station with honest coverage of a story like this one ~
(F)ormer Miami Dolphins cheerleader Kristan Ware filed an official discrimination complaint against the organization saying she was harassed and made to feel unwanted because of her faith […]
CBS’s coverage of Ware’s religious discrimination case was respectful and deserves appreciation. Especially considering the whole kneeling controversy last season.
Shocking Statistics Reveal 4 in 10 American Adults Are Now Obese ~ Having had the occasion to spend more time than I’d like in hospitals and medical facilities recently, I’ve been struck by just how many workers in that field are themselves overweight ~
As of 2015, nearly 40 percent of adults, over 18 percent of teens and nearly 14 percent of young children were obese, not just overweight. Severe obesity has also increased, now affecting nearly 8 percent of adults; a 2.3 percent increase since 2007/2008.
Detroit People Mover Maintenance Worker Paid $174,602 In 2017 ~ Our tax dollars at work ~
The highest-paid employee of the Detroit People Mover monorail train last year wasn’t the general manager. It was a maintenance employee who had a base salary of $57,220 but ended up collecting $174,602 in total.
In the meantime ~
The 2.9-mile downtown Detroit monorail loop lost an average of $9.89 on every trip it provided in 2016. The cost per trip was $10.51 and the average fare was 62 cents, according to a website that tracks transportation data.
At major Northwest Side bakery, labor issues pit blacks vs. Hispanics ~ This headline should actually read legals vs. illegals ~
(Chicago) A major bakery on the Northwest Side once known for making Little Debbie snack cakes was sold earlier this month after an immigration audit cost the company about a third of its workers.
About 800 employees of the main Cloverhill Bakery on the Northwest Side and the company’s bakeries in Cicero and Romeoville lost their jobs when the audit found many were hired after presenting fake or stolen IDs.
Data Indicates Illegal Immigrants Are Exploiting U.S. Asylum With False Claims ~ Gaming the system ~
Migrants to the United States have become far more likely to claim asylum. The result is a growing backlog of court cases, which harms actual refugees and drags U.S. resources.
Backpage, Notorious for Sex Trafficking Ads, Shut Down by Feds. The Women’s March Mourns ~ Apparently prostitution is the feminists new frontier ~
Founded in 2004 as an alternative to Craigslist, “Backpage” gained prominence in 2010 when Craigslist shut down its adult services section. The Dallas-based site became notorious for advertisements for prostitution.
Now, as the Daily Wire reported ~
A federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a 93-count indictment against seven people associated with Backpage.com on Friday for their alleged involvement in knowingly facilitating illegal prostitution and money laundering […]
Despite this win against sex trafficking, the Women’s March came out against the government’s decision to shut down the website and openly advocated for the rights of sex workers.
Why Los Angeles streets are being painted white ~ Just when you think they can’t get any more wacky in La-La Land ~
California officials are hoping their latest attempt to stem the rising tides of climate change leads to a more socially conscious — and cooler — summer.
Kennedy, Kopechne and the Chappy Cover-Up ~ On July 18, 1969 an inebriated Senator Ted Kennedy drove off a small bridge on Chappaquiddick Island. He managed to escape, but left Mary Jo Kopechne alone in the overturned vehicle to suffocate ~
“Chappaquiddick” accurately depicts the record of that night and the conspiracy to conceal the facts in the ensuing hours, days, weeks and years. It was a fair treatment of the conspiracies and lies that were undertaken to protect Kennedy’s political ambitions. It took half a century to bring the Kennedy conspiracy to the big screen, but I’m frankly surprised it would make it through the Hollywood PC censors even after 50 years.
Who Are the Luckiest Jews, Blacks and Latinos? ~ Dennis Prager explains why America really is exceptional, and wonders why there are so many people…
… born and raised in America, many of whose ancestors also fled war, poverty and oppression in Europe — who not only deny how lucky they are to live America but also vilify the founders of America who made their blessed life possible. Their attitude transcends mere lying; it enters the realm of pathology.
Atheist-Turned-Youth Minister Starts High School Bible Clubs Across California ~ If there’s one place that really needs Jesus these days it’s our public high schools ~
As many Christian communities struggle to share faith with the next generation, youth minister Brian Barcelona offers a solution: go to them in their high schools.
