I have always been fascinated by what people do to find happiness, identity, redemption, community, etc. This means I have spent plenty of time examining religion and politics and the usual societal issues most of us are familiar with exploring. However, I have also taken a look at parts of culture that some might consider blasphemous, shocking, occult, and the other, which typically stands outside of accepted cultural norms. To me, even ideas that frequently repulse others are only part of a larger continuum of ways that people find happiness, identity, redemption, community

Yesterday I watched Modify, a movie that talks to people who change their bodies — sometimes in very radical ways. (more…)

While I don’t necessarily maintain the libertarian views for health care in our current economic climate, because the vast majority of people in the US can’t afford an out-of-control, free-market health care system. However, I get it. I understand the logic of having states rights over the homogeneous system frequently forced upon us by the federal government.

First, the Tenth Amendment – Reserved Powers:
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. (more…)

It’s not often when I come home and simply turn on the television to decompress, but I did last night. I watched the Superstars, a revamp of a show that ran from the 1970s to the 1990s and featured professional athletes competing in a series of athletic events.

This new version showcases the same type of athletes but now they are teamed with hot-bodied celebs in various stages of undress in the pursuit of some trophy. The audience is assured that the competition is fierce and meaningful to the participants. There were grunting faces and strained muscles. The field of play included water and arrows and obstacles and sweating competitors. (more…)

With Obama attempting to force Congress to look at a new health care system, some republicans seem more interested in playing politics rather than getting affordable medical care to the people of the US.

South Carolina Republican Sen. Jim DeMint recently said, “If we’re able to stop Obama on [Obama’s health care reform package], then it will be his Waterloo — it will break him.” (more…)

I have never made it a secret that I am not a Kobe Bryant fan. In all fairness, it is really not that I don’t like him; I don’t know him. However, the media has made it a requirement that fans look to Kobe as some kind of a role model when mostly he has been a great basketball player and an average human being. I recently discovered another aspect to his averageness, greed. Kobe is now charging fans $24.95 to be a member of his website.

As of this year, Kobe makes around 49 million dollars a year in salary and endorsements in the shadows of an unsupportive teammate and possible rapist who provides rehearsed statements playing sports for a living. Is the additional charge necessary, or for charity? Sadly, the web site make no mention of why there is a charge, only that there is one. (more…)

What could be more fitting, other than a bright pink one-piece, than an ill-fitting governorship coming to a close. Sarah Palin called it quits the day before Independence Day in an odd show of sympathy toward her fellow Alaskans, leaving with 16 months left on her contract as Governor. (more…)

Pardon the lengthy excerpt, but I can’t help it. I wanted to get the story correct. I wanted to make sure there was no embellishing in the translation of my telling of what happened to Krister Evertson. It is scary that self-important prosecutors and judges can take creative understanding of the law to new heights. The following is from a story by Brian Walsh – FOXNews.com – July 21, 2009, who is a senior Legal Research Fellow in the Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation.

“Krister Evertson, who will testify at today’s hearing. Krister never had so much as a traffic ticket before he was run off the road near his mother’s home in Wasilla, Alaska, by SWAT-armored federal agents in large black SUVs training automatic weapons on him. (more…)