Myths and WTF Diggapedia Sunday Special


Myth: The NFL and the Players’ Association are concerned about concussions and head injuries.  In 2010 there were159 concussions/head injuries and that number increased to 171 in 2011; equating to 10/week.  The NFL has strict uniform standards regarding sweatbands, socks, and undershirts.  In fact 49er Tarell Brown was fined $5,250 for wearing a red tee shirt instead of a white one under his game jersey.   Last November Bears’ wide receiver Earl Bennett was fined $10,000 for wearing orange shoes and was told he won’t be on the field if he wears those shoes again.  But when it comes to helmets, the NFL stipulates that all helmets must be certified by the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCASE); the problem is NOCASE tests to skull fractures, not concussions.  So vain players will be allowed to choose less safe helmets to look good on TV at the expense of safety.  The league enables this and should be ashamed of themselves.

Myth: The NFL referees were the little guy in the labor dispute.  Hardly.  These PART TIME employees are slated to earn an average of $149k this year, $173k next year, and then up to $205k in 2019.  By the way, the median income in American is $50k. And what did they give up?  They agreed to allow the league to the league to hire an extra crew next year to begin training them for future service; these extra seven officials will be paid from the owners’ share, not the officials.

Myth: Iran wants a nuclear bomb to threaten Israel.  Shia Iran wants nuclear capability to control the flow of oil out of the region and to scare the shit out of the Sunni-led nations of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Egypt, and Turkey.  This is a war within Islam to see who will control the Muslim world and the oil riches.  Iran uses the ‘destroy Israel’ distraction to mask its true intentions while Israel uses the ‘existential threat’ from Iran to sideline the two-state solution dialogue.

WTF: A California Pop Warner coach is accused of giving cash as a reward to 10 year olds making “big hits on opponents”.

WTF: According to the Congressional Research Service, 2,362 people LEGALLY collected unemployment benefits in 2009 despite a household income of at least $1million.

WTF: Remember the guns for toys program of the 90’s?  Turn in a gun and get a $100 Toys-R-Us gift card.  How much for a tank?  It seems in Libya that the government is asking the militias to disarm and disband and two people showed up driving tanks.  That’s got be worth at least an Xbox and Madden 2013.

WTF: Two Christian broadcasting companies have set up in Israel and are broadcasting to proselytize to Jews.  They claim their purpose is to “reach out to Jews and entice them to read the word of God and become what we call a competed Jew.”  OK, the region has enough religious craziness without evangelicals setting up shop. 

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