Morning Edition - 7/22/05

Let Me Violate You; You’ll Feel Safe
A couple of days ago, I reported that the city of DC was looking into randomly searching riders boarding their Metro System. Today, NYC beat DC to the punch and began the procedure of randomly searching riders – your bags and in some cases, your person. Other cities (even DC) have stepped back to see what the reaction and result of this project will be. Any intelligent person can see that random searches that are not profiling persons fitting descriptions provided by factual intelligence reports/sources are futile. It is ignorant to believe that forcing a 14-year old boy to open his bag on his way to camp will make anyone safer. Meanwhile, Grand Central Terminal (which I traverse each day on my way to the office) was packed with reporters snapping shots of working New Yorkers, scared stupid, allowing officers to violate them, rummage through their bags and send them on their way. Let’s not be ignorant. There is no way to protect an antiquated subway system that provides service to over four million riders daily. The truth is, give me back my rights, and develop a more realistic approach to security and stop setting up smoke screens to make Americans believe you are doing anything to protect them from a real threat. The New York City Civil Liberties Union has said these new procedures will bring about racial and religious profiling.

Eminem says I’m Not Retiring
Reports recently circulated that rapper Eminem (aka Marshall Mathers) would be making his current Anger Management Tour his last foray into live performances. As it turns out, Eminem is not retiring and vehemently denied all reports that Encore was his last album. He told an MTV reporter "I'm not retiring. When I say I'm taking a break, I'm taking a break from my music to go in the studio and produce my other artists and put their albums out. That's called taking a break for me. When I know my next move, I'll tell everyone my next move. Not some reporter who writes a story about 'This is Eminem's last album'. I never said (ENCORE) was my last album. I never said anything yet. I don't know what I'm doing yet. Nothing is definite; you know what I'm sayin'? Nothing is written in stone.” Uh, yeah… Rap aficionados are waiting with bated breath.

Idol Fans; WAIT FOR IT!
On November 22 a three DVD compilation will hit stores; The Best of American Idol Seasons 1-4, The Worst of American Idol Season 1-4 and a limited-edition DVD set combining the best and worst. Pete Kalhan, senior VP Home Entertainment and archive sales at Fremantle Media and Capital Entertainment have not determined exactly what segments will be included on the DVDs – there better be some Anwar is all I’m saying!

On Blast
Is it possible to love someone, but not be in-love with someone, and faithfully spend the rest of your life with them? Can a person live a happy existence while in this type of relationship? What are the pros and cons to such an arrangement? If applicable, give a scenario when/where you subjected yourself to such an arrangement?

Keep passin’ the open windows…