Study: Reusable Bags Must Be Used 131 Times To Overcome Environmental Costs

220px-Trash_bin_in_ParisThere is an interesting study by the U.K. Environment Agency that challenges the view of banning plastic bags is clearly better for the environment. Sometimes green measures can have hidden carbon costs or negative externalities. The study suggests that a cotton reusable bag commonly used for groceries must be used at least 131 times to overcome their costs and be a net positive for the environment. Los Angeles recently added its name to the list of cities banning free polypropylene bags. Customers must pay 10 cents a bag or bring a reusable bag.

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Claremont Colleges Face Controversy Over Housing Ad That Excludes White Students

Unknown-5Unknown-6There is a new controversy at Claremont Colleges where a housing advertisement specifically barred white students from living in an off-campus house. Karé Ureña (PZ ’18) posted a housing offer for People of Color only and added “I don’t want to live with any white folks.” There has been a rising objection, particularly from conservative students, that there is a double standard on campuses and that, in this case, the school would never tolerate a student barred blacks or Hispanics from applying for housing. Indeed, off-campus housing at Tulane University was recently the scene of students tearing down a display viewed as racist without any sanction from the university. Some (even CNN commentators) insist that African-Americans or people of color cannot be racist by definition. For example, CNN Political commentator Marc Lamont Hill has maintained that black people lack the “institutional power” necessary to “deploy racism.”

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A Bridge Too Far: Former Christie Aide Said That The New Jersey Governor “Flat Out Lied” About the Bridge Scandal

George_Washington_Bridge_from_New_Jersey-editChrisgovFox News and the Wall Street Journal are reporting that a text message from a former aide to Chris Christie said that the New Jersey governor “flat out lied” during a news conference about the George Washington Bridge lane-closing scandal. The text message is part of a court filing reviewed by Fox.

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British Man Reportedly Convicted Of Making Offensive Comments About Muslims On Facebook

Freedom_of_SpeechEngland flagEngland has seen the rise of calls for speech prosecutions, including calls from powerful politicians for crackdowns on insulting or offensive comments. We have previously discussed the alarming rollback on free speech rights in the West, particularly in England ( here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here and here). The rapid decline of free speech in England has been both chilling and frightening for civil libertarians as the country appears to have abandoned this once defining right of Western Civilization. Now, a Manchester man reportedly has been arrested and sentenced for making “grossly offensive” comments about Muslims on Facebook. Stephen Bennett, 39, (who has a Muslim mother-in-law and sister-in-law) has been sentenced to 180 hours of unpaid work and a 12-month community order for expressing his views.

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EEOC Reinstates Case Where Worker Objected To Co-Worker’s Wearing Of Cap With “Don’t Tread On Me” As “Racially Offensive”

Unknown-2My friend Professor Eugene Volokh raised an interesting case out of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) where the commission reinstated what many would consider a facially invalid harassment lawsuit over a worker wearing a simple “Don’t Tread on Me” cap. The cap was claimed cited as “racially offensive to African Americans” because “the flag was designed by Christopher Gadsden, a ‘slave trader & owner of slaves.’” It is a bizarre case but the concern over the fluid standard for such cases was magnified by a response to Gene from Harvard Law professor Noah Feldman who added that a worker “Saying at work that ‘Hillary Clinton shouldn’t be president because women shouldn’t work full-time’” could also be a legitimate basis for sanctions.

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Controversial Oberlin Professor Suspended Over Anti-Israeli Comments

1456789323213We previously discussed the controversy surrounding Oberlin Professor Joy Karega, who has attracted fervent criticism for her social media comments including blaming Israel for the 9/11 attacks. In a move that will magnify the free speech issues discussed earlier, Karega has been suspended with pay as assistant professor of rhetoric and composition.
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Rio Olympics Ratings Plunge To Levels Below 1992 in Barcelona

2016_Summer_Olympics_logo.svgMany have criticized NBC for its dismal coverage of the opening ceremonies of the Rio Olympics for inane comments, numerous commercials interruptions, and a bizarre decision to repeatedly play over the ceremony music with an interview from one of the creators on the “vision” underlying the ceremony (that NBC was not showing). Whether it is the general controversy over the selection of Rio or the NBC coverage problems, the viewers are not tuning in — at least thus far. The ratings are substantially below those of 2012 and 2008. Indeed, the rating are even below 1992 levels.

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“Faster, Higher, Stronger”: Corruption and Negligence Again Reach Olympic Levels In Rio

Olympic_rings_without_rims.svgUnknown-1Below is my column in USA Today on the history of corruption and negligence at the Olympics. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) remains a troubled (and frankly troubling) international organization. After this column ran, a new doping scandal emerged around the Kenyan Olympic team. Here is the column:

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Massachusetts Passes Law Barring Employers From Asking Applicants About Their Salaries

Charlie_Baker_official_portraitMassachusetts has passed a law (signed by Gov. Charlie Baker) which for the first time would bar employers from asking job applicants about their salaries.  It is designed to prevent pay disparity for women. However, it could create uncertainty on how to address a key piece of information used to gauge wage offers for employees.

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Attention Broadcasters Of The Olympics Worldwide: SHUT UP!

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor.

2016_Summer_Olympics_logo.svgOne of the reasons I seldom watch television is that I’ve grown tired of having my intelligence insulted by ever increasing numbers of childish, and inane commercials which offer nothing of substance to convince me why I must buy their product or service. The mindset and goal of advertisers to race to the lowest common denominator who they perceive lacks the capacity to think for themselves.

Yet one possible relief from the deluge of televisions scorns such as the endless sitcoms, television shopping networks, religious charlatans, and political advertisements, could be found in the modern epic and magnificent Olympic Games, with its spectacular and well choreographed performances, light, movement, and cultural flavor of the host nations. The tradition of bring the flame and the showing of the athleticism and conglomeration of the peoples of the world surely brings a true sense of awe and wonder to those ancients if somehow they blessed the clairvoyance to envision what would become of theirs millennia later.

Eighty years ago, the Games of the XI Olympiad was the first to feature a television broadcast bringing forth to an eventual world wide audience the ability to witness the Olympics without the burden and cost of live attendance. Unfortunately, it has given rise to the sports broadcaster style of news, the dark side of which is the seemingly endless need to describe the minutia in every detail, flapping jaws incessantly, and often destroying the poignancy of the moment. We the audience are capable of understanding what we witness. So to all the Olympics broadcasters of the world, do us a favor–Shut UP!

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Saudi Cleric Promises Syrian Fighters 72 Virgins Who Are So Pure That Their Spit Can Turn The Sea Sweet

Screen Shot 2016-08-04 at 7.15.15 PMA new video is circulating on the Internet showing Sheikh Abdullah al-Muhaysini, a Saudi cleric in Syria affiliated with al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, sending out young Muslims to die in the battle for Aleppo with the promise of 72 virgins who are so beautiful that they can simply spit in the sea and turn it sweet. They also apparently release perfume when you hug them. There are many Muslims who insist that the 72 virgin claim is a myth started by anti-Islamic forces.

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Iran Executes Gay Teenager Under Islamic Sharia Law

noose-hiIran has given the world another outrage in its enforcement of the medieval Islamic Sharia law. The victim was Hassan Afshar, 19, who was hanged for what the Sharia court called “forced male-to-male anal intercourse.” Afshar insisted that that the sex was consensual, though in Iran you can also be executed for simply being homosexual — as we have previously discussed.

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Can You Guess What This Person Was Charged With?

UnknownIf you said Flamingo homicide, there is a job waiting for you with the security staff of Busch Gardens. Joseph Corrao, 45, is a brute with a long and violent criminal history who recently went to Busch Gardens with his mother and three children. He then proceeded to grab Pinky, a favorite Chilean flamingo and threw her to the ground. He tore her foot almost completely off and she was eventually euthanized.

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