Secrets of the City

(via @cafecyan) Do you have creative naming skills? @derushaj is looking for a new blog name. Help him out. What do you think?

Several years ago, our own justbob came up with the current name, “DeBlog,”  but it just doesn’t seem to be holding, as everyone calls it Jason’s Blog. What can possible override that?

A new University of Minnesota study shows a link between pop consumption and pancreatic cancer.

The study found a nearly two-fold increase in the risk of pancreatic cancer among people who consumed at least two carbonated, sugar-sweetened beverages per week compared to those who did not consume soft drinks.

According to U of M Researcher Mark Pereira, “people who drink soda release a jolt of insulin into their pancreas, which may overwhelm the organ.”

But the study is based on “the dietary habits of more than 60,000 Chinese people who were observed for 14 years.” Uh.. what does this mean? That pop causes pancreatic cancer in Chinese people? Do other dietary habits come into play? And where the heck did they find 60,000 Chinese people in Minnesota? (Actually, our Asian population is twice that, but still… clearly the study was not conducted in Minnesota.)

Regardless, stop drinking that soda!

Minnesota students are finding all sorts of creative ways to raise money for Haiti.

A group of students at the High School for Recording Arts in St. Paul wrote a song and produced a music video urging others to donate to Haiti. Their YouTube video has gotten over 128,000 hits with over 450 comments. And they performed the song Jan. 30 in front of a crowd of hundreds at the Mall of America, and Jan. 31 at the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant in Minneapolis.

Sixth-graders at St. John Vianney School raised money from their own classmates. “In exchange for a donation, students could ditch their uniforms and wear clothes the color of a rainbow. The Rainbow for Haiti project generated $420 in a week.”

Andersen Elementary students, in Bayport, decorated soup cans for collecting money and raised $933 so far from the school community. “Next month, the students will work as servers and hosts and do other jobs at Leo’s Grill & Malt Shop in Stillwater. They plan to donate a portion of their tips to helping Haiti.”

And a group of Maple Grove High School students have even started a fundraiser called Hair Dying for Haiti, for which they’ve died their hair pink, purple, green and blue in hopes to raise money.

Huh?

Their efforts, along with other fundraisers by Maple Grove students, have raised $3,000 so far.

(via Strib)

It’s been more than a decade since “Amy,” as she’s known in court papers, was first sexually abused by her uncle. The abuse ended long ago and he’s in prison, but the pictures he made when she was 8 or 9 are among the most widely circulated child pornography images online.

Should Amy get paid for the images that she claims hurt her every time they are viewed?

In Minnesota last month, a federal judge ordered prosecutors to explain why they didn’t ask for restitution in a case involving images of Amy.

A number of victims across the country have come forward seeking restitution from people who were caught with videos and pictures of their abuse. Now, judges are trying to figure out whether someone who obtains a picture taken years ago is directly responsible for the harm suffered by the victim. If the answer is yes, judges have the added complication of figuring out what amount is justified.

The front page of Yahoo is featuring a news story about the cover of the February 8th Sports Illustrated Olympic Preview issue which features Olympic Women’s Ski Team member and Minnesotan Lindsey Vonn in what is being described as an image that objectifies and sexualizes women participating in sports.  The accusations stem from the blog of a teacher at the University of Minnesota’s School of Kinesiology Nicole LaVoi, who is the Associate Director of the Tucker Center for Research of Girls and Women in Sports.  Here is the image in question:

The blogger refers to this as a sexualized pose, to which many commenters have pointed out that her tucked position is indicative of the sport.  The author has followed-up, pointing out that while this is a skiing pose, it is not occuring “in action” and stands by her assertion as being sexual and objectifying the woman subject.

As a knucle-dragging male, I find it a stretch to think this image in any way sexualizes or objectifies Lindsey Vonn or in any way diminishes the contribution of women in sports.

So just how turned on are you?