| | March 10, 2014 | | HALF-BAKED There just isn't a clear-cut answer to the potential health risks of marijuana, which is why weed needs warning labels, writes Dean Obeidallah. If states like Colorado and Washington profit from pot, then it's only fair they warn us about the drug's effects. We live in a nation of nutrition labels and "side effects may include" disclaimers on ads so that we can make informed decisions. It's time that the same rules apply to something that's more hazardous than a box of Cheez-its. REGRET In an interview in the New Yorker, the father of Newtown shooter Adam Lanza reveals that he wishes his son had never been born. "How much do I beat up on myself about the fact that he's my son? A lot," Peter Lanza said. He recognizes his permanent connection with the death of 26 children and teachers at Sandy Hook, and says he doesn't even like to say his last name. "I thought about changing it," he said, "but I feel like that would be distancing myself and I cannot distance myself." Lanza said he has no doubt "Adam would have killed me in a heartbeat, if he'd had the chance." GIRL POWER Femen and Pussy Riot stared down Vladimir Putin with the kind of courage that many European leaders can't even seem to muster, writes Lizzie Crocker. These women are at the vanguard of the fight against Putin's repression at a time when his domestic opposition has been effectively neutered. While neither group is as popular in Russia as they are in the West, they are one of the few hopes for liberating their homeland from oppression and sexism. WAITING FOR ANSWERS Authorities still lack any hard information that could help explain the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 on Friday. While authorities suspected oil slicks found off the coast of Vietnam may have been from a crash, Malaysian officials concluded today that the fuel was not from a plane crash. While late on Sunday the Vietnamese government reported one of its aircraft spotted a rectangular object that could have been an inner door from the missing plane, when ships arrived Monday, it could not be located. Some 40 ships and 34 aircraft from nine countries are searching the region where the plane may have disappeared. On the issue of passengers with stolen passports, there is still no clear indication that terrorism or any other foul play was at hand. "To confirm what happened that day on this ill-fated aircraft, we need hard evidence. We need parts of the aircraft for us to analyze, for us to do forensic studies," said Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, director-general of Malaysia's department of civil aviation. "We are every hour, every minute, every second, looking at every inch of the sea." HEY BRAH Sigma Alpha Epsilon, one of the oldest fraternities in the country, announced Friday that it would be halting the traditional pledging process, which has ranged from standing waist-deep in ice while wearing diapers to drinking until you pass out or, in too many cases, die. At least 10 deaths since 2006 have been linked to SAE events. The fraternity, whose alumni include President William McKinley and author William Faulkner, earned $6.7 million in 2012, but spent nearly a quarter of it on insurance. SAE has faced multiple lawsuits and criminal investigations as a result of its pledging and hazing rituals. "We have experienced a number of incidents and deaths, events with consequences that have never been consistent with our membership experience," SAE said. Instead, new members will be part of a process called the "The True Gentlemen Experience," which includes alcohol-safety training. | |
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