What’s In This Issue?
Canadians Legalize Marijuana, Call It "Better Than The Olympics"
While crowds celebrate, no one seems to ask why legalizing pot is such a big deal in the first place. It may not be as addictive as nicotine, but it isn't exactly good for your health either. But hey, government legislation almost never creates more fun (it usually forbids it) ... so I guess we should just shut up and take the win.
Does Fantasy Sports Dehumanize Athletes?
As Washington Redskin's running back Chris Thompson shares, "Fantasy football, it makes us not human. It’s almost like people think we’re just robots out there, performing for you.” In a sport sometimes described as our modern day gladiator ring due to how often the sport causes long term inury and even death among its participants, Thompson has a fair complaint. Back in the time of the gladiators, when people saw those competitors as less than human -- it wasn't long before they started seeing each other the same way. We should be afraid of history repeating itself.
Bonus Story Of The Week:
Can We Bring Dead Artists Back On Tour As Holograms?
This week the father of Amy Winehouse announced a world tour in 2019 featuring a “hologram” of his daughter on stage. A digital avatar of Winehouse, who died in 2011 from alcohol poisoning at the age of 27, will "perform" some of her most popular songs in a concert accompanied by a live band, real backup singers and lots of special effects. In a world where thousands of people are already paying to see concerts of a completely fabricated digital personality, it's not a leap to think they might also be willing to pay to see a holographically resurrected one. If it works, I might finally have that chance to see Michael Jackson perform live that I always regretted missing.
