Social Issues

Millions of people are playing the billion dollar lottery, hoping to win. Research reveals that playing the lottery is a futile exercise in despair, that is milking the poor and the needy who find comfort in the slightest glimmer of financial reward in times of economic uncertainty. As the odds get stacked up against the economically underprivileged, then they rise up and show their true colors by going for broke and demanding a shot at the dream of having wealth. The majority of state lotteries around the U.S.

Earlier this evening, we noted that the western German town of Bornheim has banned adult male asylum seekers from its indoor public pool after some German women complained of harassment.

"There have been complaints of sexual harassment and chatting-up going on in this swimming pool ... by groups of young men, and this has prompted some women to leave (the premises)," the town’s deputy mayor said.

On Thursday, we brought you an Austrian cartoon flyer that the Swiss department of Health and Social Services intends to distribute to refugees ahead of the Lucerne carnival which starts on February 4.

The flyer features a number of pictograms depicting acceptable versus unacceptable behavior. Shaking hands, for instance, is ok, while flying into a rage and open-hand slapping young children is generally frowned upon:

A west German town has barred refugee men from a public swimming pool after sexual harassment complaints from local women. The local authorities introduced the temporary ban and acted on their own, according to German magazine Spiegel. Sputnik reports: The measure was introduced temporary, before local social workers would be able to tell that the refugees understood the message. Refugees residing in a Bornheim center had access to the local pool as a part of benefits, provided by the local authorities.

Leaders of the Anglican communion in Canterbury, England, have barred a liberal US branch from voting and decision-making for three years, for supporting gay marriage. The decision came this week after years of deliberation. The US Episcopal Church supports same-sex marriage and ordained an openly gay bishop in 2003.