29Jan 2012 by CJ

The #1 Site for Beautiful People has nothing to do with real beauty

Information & Education, Life & Living
In July of 2009, I penned a column focusing on Ashley Madison - an online dating site geared towards those already in a committed relationship, but looking for something more. Their motto? “Life is short, have an affair.” Now there's Beautiful People. The existence of such a site surprised me at the time - as did its popularity with millions of everyday citizens paying for the ability to cheat on their significant others. And while I wanted to believe that Ashley Madison was in fact the most extreme and bizarre online dating site I’d come across, I recently stumbled upon a new, and slightly more disturbing entry to the fray. The site is BeautifulPeople.com. While the name and its slogan, “Where beautiful relationships begin,” might seem innocent at first, its…
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05Jan 2012 by CJ

Our legal system is not about justice as much as lining people’s pockets

Information & Education, Life & Living
I’m of the opinion that the majority of this world is filled with self-serving, uncaring and down-right inconsiderate people. The sad reality is there are more than enough stories going around to back up my claim. You can often find them in the legal system. Apparently an Illinois appeals court recently ruled that a woman is within her rights to sue a dead teenager's estate for injuries she received by his flying body parts (sorry folks, there's really no pleasant way to put that). It seems the 18 year old boy was running across the tracks to catch another train but didn't make it. Let this be a lesson to everyone - NEVER RUN ACROSS THE TRACKS OF A BUSY TRAIN STATION! He was hit by an oncoming train going…
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15Dec 2011 by CJ

Census reveals startling statistics about poverty

Information & Education, Life & Living
Census statistics provide us with a detailed look at the composition of our country from race to children to finances. But it also can bring about some alarming figures that many of us probably never thought possible in what has been called the greatest country in the world. I'm not so sure anymore. The most recent Census finds that 1 in 2 people in America have fallen into poverty or are scraping by on earnings that classify them as low income. That's 50% of all Americans. While the folks in Washington continue to argue with each other, both Republicans and Democrats alike should be embarrassed and ashamed of themselves. It seems the only thing they care about anymore is which party has a controlling interest in government, rather than exercising…
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16Nov 2011 by CJ

Elephant orphan discovers that prosthetics are not just for humans

Information & Education, Life & Living
  [caption id="attachment_642" align="alignleft" width="300"] Truly amazing![/caption] Chhouk is a 5 year old bull elephant orphan who probably wouldn't be alive today if not for the care he received from Nick Marx, the Director of Wildlife Rescue and Care at the Wildlife Alliance. Chhouk was found in the Cambodian jungle back in 2007 - scared, alone and very close to death with his left front foot mangled by a poacher's trap. Elephants are known for being some of the most emotional animals alive. Having been just a baby elephant orphan when he was found, I can only imagine how fearful young Chhouk must have been. "I really thought he would never make it," said Nick Marx, today stroking Chhouk's trunk with a sense of pride and affection. "He was seriously…
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06Oct 2011 by CJ

Jobs passing teaches us about the fragility of ALL life…not just celebrities

Information & Education, Life & Living
Steve Jobs passing is a story you'll be hearing a lot about over the next few days. I've been doing some reading online regarding Jobs passing and some people, who obviously are obsessed with Apple, are mourning the man as though he were a member of their own family. One young twenty-something even said, "this is a dark day for America." Are you serious? Yes, Jobs was an immense talent, but I'm still not sure that his technological creations have truly added to the quality as much as the convenience of one's life. Still, I feel bad for his family, but I'm not sure this is really a dark day for our country. People forget that deaths are occurring every day and probably every hour if such a study were…
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