Letter: Violent culture

"People who have the inclination to be a quarterback might play Madden Football, but it doesn't make someone a quarterback."

Sorry, but that is an awful analogy. For someone to be a quarterback they have to, you know, try out for a team. They have to be qualified. There aren't auditions for people to shoot at other people.

As an addendum, let me just say that I agree with you generally, but that is a poor argument.

December 28, 2012 at 3:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Cyclist suffers critical injuries after being struck by SUV

It simply isn't safe for cyclists. This is all anecdotal, but I get antsy whenever I'm driving down Tennessee in the Oread neighborhood and I see cyclists in the right lane. Sometimes a group of cyclists is in single-file, other times they aren't. I understand that many people don't drive cars and they have various reasons for using bikes. Personally, if I was one of those people I would feel very insecure about traveling in the area, but especially on Kentucky and Tennessee. This isn't to suggest that they shouldn't, though.

Now that I've insensitively expressed myself, I hope this person recovers and that incidents like this cease to happen.

November 14, 2012 at 10:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Lawrence boxer is a world contender

Those sound somewhat insignificant compared to a championship from one of the four major sanctioning bodies.

Cleverly is an undefeated fighter, he's made several title defenses and is ranked in the top 10 of his division.

The enormity of this fight for Hawk is not lost on me.

November 8, 2012 at 7:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Have you ever watched a boxing match live or on television?

"...any good boxing matches or footage between 1920-1980."

No love for Hagler, Hearns, Duran or Leonard. Those are some of my favorite fighters and they all fought in the same era.

November 8, 2012 at 7:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

18 computers, valued at $30k, reported stolen from Art & Design building

Or they were loaded with expensive software. But, yeah, probably a Mac.

November 2, 2012 at 1:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

This year's college freshmen don't know about airplane tickets, Bill Clinton or Vito Corleone

or Jake LaMotta.

August 21, 2012 at 3:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Royals blew it with Melky Cabrera

Nonsense. Melky had several good season in New York. Save his only season with the Braves, he's been an above-average player in the majors.

That said, I don't think it was the wrong move trading for Sanchez, at least I didn't think so at the time.

July 14, 2012 at 2:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Royals blew it with Melky Cabrera

David Glass is a profoundly wicked person.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM-oNy...

July 14, 2012 at 10:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Pharmacists could refuse to dispense contraception based on moral grounds under bill

What right does the government have to tell you how to do your job?

Are your actions injurious to the rights of others? If so, you can be compelled to cease.

Pretty simple answer to a rather moribund query.

May 7, 2012 at 11:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Pharmacists could refuse to dispense contraception based on moral grounds under bill

By what right does anyone have the power to compel another person to engage in business they do not wish to?

When a business-owner denies somebody a service because their morality does not coincide it is not quite as egregious as say discrimination based on race. Denying someone a service based on their skin-color ought to be punishable by law because targeting an innate quality of somebody is a rejection of their humanity. It tacitly says "You are not equal to me." Of course, everyone is equal given that they participate in and uphold a social contract.

Denying someone as an equal almost always constitutes harm and a direct violation of their rights which, again, are perfectly inalienable to anyone else's.

Back to the more salient concern though. Can you deny someone a service because you don't agree with their morality? I say no, because it will almost always cause harm. You might say, "Well being forced to conduct business against your will is harmful" or "being forced to act against your principles is harmful" to which I say: That harm is insignificant compared to the alternative.

May 7, 2012 at 10:51 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )