Ordinarily we have five, but this week it will be three.
[1] Exceedingly saddening news is emanating once more in the tobacco industry. Over at Time, an article details a World Health Organization report forecasting 1 billion tobacco-related deaths in this century. To put it in perspective, 100 million have died this century from tobacco-related deaths. Not surprisingly, the forecast is most calamitous for populous nations with the least health care: "'the shift of the tobacco epidemic to the developing world will lead to unprecedented levels of disease and early death in countries where population growth and the potential for increased tobacco use are highest and where health care services are least available.'" I think one of the best alternatives to cope with this issue--besides outright bans--would be this policy: "'One of the most effective ways to curb tobacco use is to ban all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, but it said only 20 of 179 countries that responded have complete bans.'" Source: Newsweek/Associated Press [Edith M. Lederer].
[2] It has been mentioned before in many contexts, but there is a clear and disturbing problem in Europe with racism in sports. Seen commonly in soccer venues, this crisis has extended to Formula One. "'In response to [prior] incidents like those, the Spanish government passed legislation last summer that imposes stiffer penalties on those who foment racism within sports. But even this new law may not be enough to combat a larger problem. 'The real issue is that Spaniards have a habit of not taking this kind of thing seriously,' says Esteban Ibarra, president of the Movement against Intolerance, a watchdog group. 'There's a banalization, a permissiveness in the face of racist incidents that worries me more than the incidents themselves. As long as society as a whole continues to see these crimes as insignificant, they're going to recur.'" I am not sure what answer lies in store to end these problems, but I suspect that the solution towards racial tolerance in European sports will frustratingly take a long time. Source: Time [Lisa Abend].
[3] I want to let everyone know that they should tune in during the upcoming weeks and months as we will be reading and analyzing Colossians Remixed, written by Brian Walsh and Sylvia Keesmaat. It looks to be an extremely interesting read, and I am sure that the discussions will be fruitful and insightful. Feel free to contribute to the discussion, we will be posting the reading schedule soon. Source: Amazon.
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