News bits: 11/17 edition

Here are some news items that have caught my attention, and by "catching my attention" I mean that it shocked me enough to jot down a note while watching reality television. I'm partially kidding, but I do believe that is how many people get the news, if the news even shows up on their radar at all. Here are four news stories that either make me want to bang my head on a brick wall or bang my head on some sheet metal.


Drilling for shale:

Chemicals used in "fracking" during shale acquisition are poisonous, though the industry Halliburton won't tell the public which chemicals are used. These poisonous chemicals have a habit of leaking into the water supplies of communities and making people sick (some folks can even light their water on fire, it has so many adulterants in it), due to a lack of regulation in the industry. Recently, a large number of cows died due to drinking the poisoned water. The whole thing is a short-sighted, especially when safety precautions are not taken by the industry-- great, we have a twenty year supply of natural gas in the United States, but at what cost? Thanks for deregulating the energy industry, Dick Cheney. If I could see you today, I would punch all of your teeth out, you Batman-villain-looking motherf*cker.


Refudiate:

Sarah Palin's non-word has been listed by the Oxford English Dictionary as 2010's "Word of the Year." Idiots everywhere rejoice. I heard a rumor that the definition for refudiate is "the ability to talk out of your ass and have well regarded institutions give you brownie points for being a moron."


Punkin Chunkin:

Why are we throwing and wasting food when so many people every day are going hungry in the United States, let alone the world? I know that physics is really exciting for some people and everyone loves a catapult, but why not "chunk" something that isn't edible, like rocks?


People against male circumcision:

I must say that I really have no opinion regarding male circumcision (and why should I?) except that it should never ever be equated to the genital mutilation that is forced upon women in certain parts of the world. Don't want to get your baby boy circumcised? Fine, then don't do it. But don't go around spreading fear about something that is essentially a non-issue by comparing it to the sexist atrocity of female circumcision. Thanks.