2014

Well the year 2013 is coming to a close. Normally, I would like to do a retrospective on the year that was, but frankly the year was so uneventful overall for me, a retrospective would only serve to bore you and make me depressed. (The only thing I could think of note for me was being in the same room as President Obama at the memorial for the firefighters who died in the West explosion in April.)

So I decided to lay out some goals for 2014. Since nobody entirely cares about other people's resolutions, I also figure I'll give some predictions about events I think will occur in 2014 as well.

First, I'll get the resolutions out of the way. Of course, these resolutions are all subject to the fact that Practice Court will be ruling my life basically 24/7 from February until July.

• I need to be friendlier and more social. While compared to my high school self, I am a very jovial guy, I still am missing out on fun times as well as potential networking opportunities. Right now, I see myself as a boring guy to talk to and I definitely need to change that.
• Need to be less afraid. I need to be more willing to take a risk and put myself out there. Obviously I am not talking about doing anything imprudent, but I have to get out of my shell. I'm not talking about engaging in carnal knowledge (although using the term "carnal knowledge" guarantees I won't have to worry about that), drinking, or engaging in other lascivious behaviours. I don't really have a good example, but I'm thinking this goal goes hand-in-hand with being more social. 
• I need to mature. I honestly do need to grow up. I am not ready yet to be a professional. I am going to be a professional in early 2015 and need to be ready for that. I know this year, especially Practice Court. I also assume this maturation will give me incentive to lose the 30 pounds I need to lose.
• Post- Practice Court, I need to volunteer more (perhaps at an animal shelter or something). As a Christian, it is our duty to help out in the community and to care for others as Christ would.

Now the predictions

• As much as I think Florida State is easily the best team in college football, God is clearly on Auburn's side (at least three miracle victories). I have to say Auburn will win a close one on January 6.
• Seahawks over Patriots in Super Bowl 48.
• Gravity will win the Best Picture award at the Oscars.
• I don't know anything about the NBA, but I don't think it would be a stretch to say that the Heat will three-peat.
• The Texas Rangers will be lifting a championship banner in Arlington after winning the World Series over the LA Dodgers. (AL MVP: Mike Trout; NL MVP: Paul Goldschmidt)
• The 2014 college football playoff will feature Alabama, Florida State, Baylor, and Ohio State. 
• While the economy won't collapse the way it did in 2008, we will see severe single-day drop-offs in the markets. This is inevitable because the stock prices are exploding based upon nothing. Its a bubble waiting to happen. (If any more economically minded people wish to challenge this presumption, please feel free to educate me on the subject.)

Hope y'all have a great 2014 and feel free to send some of your predictions and goals to me as well.

Duck Dynasty, Speech, and Business

For those that haven't heard, Phil Robertson of the popular show Duck Dynasty was recently suspended from the show over an uproar stemming from comments (albeit colorful comments) that he made that were taken as anti-gay. (He also made some comments, which I would have thought would be found to be more offensive stating that black people were happier under Jim Crow times, pre-entitlement and welfare. But alas, shockingly it's the "I believe homosexuality is wrong" stuff that's got everyone going crazy.)

I am not here to go on a philosophical debate about homosexuality. I want to discuss the right to an opinion. In this country, it is completely alright for people to have asinine opinions you people disagree with. This isn't Iran where you are cast as a pariah for believing the Holocaust existed. People probably think some of my moral views are askew, but in this country, we have a right to those opinions, so long as nobody is harmed by them. That being said, there is absolutely no way Mr. Robertson's bigoted views could harm anybody. He's a person on a television show. He's not enacting legislation. He's not going to be cited by the court's as if he was Dean Prosser on Torts or Blackstone or the Restatements of the Law. He has influence, yes, but not enough for it to affect anybody. People should mind their own business. It's 2013. Spouting off an unpopular, potentially bigoted opinion doesn't cause anyone harm the way it did 50-60 years ago.

Honestly, why are people surprised at Mr. Robertson's comments? The show he is on is very southern, good ol' boy, influenced. I am surprised I don't see a Confederate flag every episode just being flown around. That being said, the south is not known for its progressive views. The fact that a man who looks like the lost member of ZZ Top said that he has a problem with homosexuality should not come as a shock. As a matter of fact, I personally would be more shocked if he said "Yea. Homosexuals are fine. I actually officiated a couple gay weddings up there in 'Frisco." Either way, all he did was go on a publicity interview (one which I would guess was set up by A&E), was asked a question, and gave an honest opinion. Nothing more.

On the other side, A&E does have a corollary right to protect its brand. While I agree with Mr. Robertson's right to speak his mind, speaking your mind does come with its private consequences. A&E is a business and Mr. Robertson is an employee. A&E has a right to reprimand an employee detrimental to the brand. If I was in a workplace and was going around calling  co-workers derogatory comments, I would expect a reprimand (if not immediate dismissal). I am harming the company at that point. Mr. Robertson's comments was harming A&E. I can guarantee that A&E was facing the threat of losing sponsors. A show cannot run with Chick-fil-A as the only sponsor. Also, Duck Dynasty is billed as a family show. Mr. Robertson's colourful comments about preferring a "vagina" to a "man's anus" harms the family-friendly image that A&E is trying to build up for the show.

Simply put, in this Duck Dynasty situation, which has been blown out of proportion, there are no bad guys. Simply people utilizing their rights.