Michael Sam is a defensive lineman for the University of Missouri’s football team. He was declared the defensive player of the year in college football’s top league and his teammates voted him Missouri’s MVP. He is expected to be a top draft pick for the NFL. This week Sam announced to the world that he’s gay. Football culture is famously macho, and in recent years, reports of homophobia have made headlines. Some people think that Sam’s announcement may hurt his draft position. But if he’s picked up by a team, he’ll be the first publicly gay player in the NFL.
What does John Fox Say? This may hurt is draft position and make his life more difficult in the locker room, but it takes brave people like Sam for change.
The FDA has launched a new campaign aimed at decreasing the number of teens who smoke. Digital, print and TV ads highlight the bodily harm that smoking cigarettes causes, such as premature wrinkles and rotten teeth. The campaign also stresses the addictiveness of cigarettes, likening them to a bully that makes you take cigarette breaks at inopportune moments. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the US, taking nearly half a million lives every year. Tobacco companies are required by law to fund the ad campaign, which cost $115 million.
What does John Fox Say? Cigarette smoke is harmful not only to the smoker, it is particularly offensive to those who don’t smoke and passively inhale the smoke filled air. The ads might be a bit graphic, but I’m for whatever it takes to make an impact.
According to Reuters.com, on Tuesday, FBI agents across the globe arrested a total of 24 people. A two-year-long investigation shared between FBI agents from the United Stated and Italy exposed that an Italian mob organization, the ‘Ndrangheta, was trying to build connections with the infamous New York crime family, the Gambinos. The arrested individuals are accused of plotting to move $1 billion worth of drugs from South America to Italy. Plans to move the illegal drugs included hiding them inside frozen fish and packing them with shipments of canned fruit. The drugs would have then made their way to the US if the mobsters’ plans had not been stopped by the FBI.
What does John Fox Say? This is one profession to think twice before following in the family business.
California is a state accustomed to little rainfall. It usually gets about 22 inches per year as one of the drier US states. But in 2013, California saw only seven inches of rain, making last year the driest in its history. A 13-month weather pattern off the West Coast is the culprit behind the mega drought, which recently prompted Governor Jerry Brown to declare an emergency. But last weekend, Golden State residents happily welcomed a hefty rainstorm that soaked parts of California. Although the rainfall did not end the drought, one meteorologist pointed out that some rain is better than no rain.
What does John Fox Say? California’s water shortage could get worse with a prolonged drought. Irrigation has been almost completely cut off due to the drought, and thousands of acres of soil are lying fallow. This will cause a shortage of fruits and vegetables, and higher prices. If we want California to continue to be our nation’s number one farming state, producing nearly half of our fruits and vegetables, we need to explore new ways to get fresh water to California.