The issue of copycat crime is a fascinating one that raises deep questions in the fields of psychology, philosophy, criminology and jurisprudence. Are filmmakers – if not legally, at least morally – responsible for their creations that motivate people to commit crime? Would these people act in such a manner but for the movie? Should […]
Continue readingThe Mafia. The name alone conjures shadowy images of underworld activity – debts and allegiances, honor and respect, family, power, and death. Add to that the popular cinematic exploits of Hollywood Mafioso as portrayed by Brando, De Niro, Pacino et al, and there is a romanticism associated with ‘the men of honor’ that is difficult […]
Continue readingPublic Stoning Iranian courts still order public stonings, and those sentenced are often severely whipped before they are stoned. Women are buried up to their necks before a stoning. If convicted of adultery, Iranian law requires the stones not be too big or too small so that the probable death is not merciful or prolonged. […]
Continue readingPaul of Tarsus Saul of Tarsus, a.k.a. Paul the Apostle, Paul of Tarsus [?-65 c.e.] was a Hellenistic Jew and student of Gamaliel the Elder who served as enforcer for the Pharisaic Sanhedrin against the apostate Christian sect following the crucifixion of Jesus. Around 33 c.e. he experienced a dramatic conversion experience while on the […]
Continue readingEver since the term ‘subliminal advertising’ was coined in the 1950s, the idea of advertisements with hidden messages that can influence us without our conscious understanding has captivated the popular imagination. If adverts can steer us toward a particular product through surreptitiously placed words or images designed to be absorbed at a subconscious level, how […]
Continue readingHave you ever missed your favorite television show one week and wanted to watch it before the next week’s new episode aired so that you wouldn’t be completely lost (Fans of “24” and “Lost” can certainly relate to this). Have you parked yourself in front of your television to watch a football, basketball, or soccer […]
Continue readingImage: Eddie Adams Popular photography as we know it was presented to the public in the 1840s. It was proposed as the ultimate portrayal of reality and the eternal confinement of history – unlike art or prose, photographs are not easily altered. They have been used to depict the terrors and truths of war, to […]
Continue readingPeople around the world have been smoking marijuana for thousands of years while also using the hemp plant for everything from fabric and rope to ethanol fuel. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, a man with a bit of power and enough determination decided pot was wicked, evil and narcotic. He moved mountains to make it […]
Continue readingWhen sleigh bells ring, temperatures plummet. In winter’s wicked chill, it’s best to start at the bottom and work our way to the top when weatherproofing ourselves to stay warm. Layers are good. Hats are better. And sturdy, durable, well made, and warm boots are a must. There’s no better place to start to find […]
Continue readingAdolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (or National Socialist German Worker’s Party) created in the Third Reich the most extreme and terrifying example of a totalitarian regime the world has ever seen. It is often wondered quite how a sophisticated and highly developed 20th century nation was politically overpowered by the Nazis. One answer, and […]
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