Minimum wage, priests and sex scandals, David Beckham and those crazy Harry Potter fans

Financial settlements are ruining the public's right to know

Another year, another settlement in a priest-boy sex scandal.
I am all for settlements. Victims should get everything they can because priests' actions in these scandals are utterly reprehensible.
But there has to come a time when the public's right to know about what happened comes into play.
Too many times, lawyers will work out settlements and stop any public testimony from occurring. This serves to push down the incidents when they should be trying to put them in the public eye. The only way people can learn from the past is to be presented with it.
But the church is almost invincible. So many abuses have been covered up it is ridiculous. In the article, they say bishops only answer to the Vatican. I hope sometime soon they have to answer to local police. And their parishioners.
That's what they say they do. But when settlements hide details from parishioners, it doesn't seem to be the case.

Raising the minimum wage doesn't do much, but it's a start

The minimum wage will go up Tuesday for the first time in about a decade. It will increase from $5.15/hr. to $5.85/hr. That's 70 cents an hour more. That is not a shabby increase.
But more has to be done if they are going to eliminate the term "working poor" as Barack Obama said in the article. Seventy cents in a normal 40-hour work week amounts to $28. Take taxes away from that and you're talking about $17-20/week extra.
On Sept. 1, 1997, the last minimum wage increase occurred. On that day, the rate went from $4.75/hr. to $5.15/hr.
According to the Consumer Price Index, gas on that day cost motorists $1.334/gallon. Last month, the average was $3.100/gallon. Doing quick math, that's an increase of $1.766/gallon. That means if you put 10 gallons of gasoline in your car every week, you have already eliminated the extra money on your check.
Tuesday's increase is a part of a series of increases that will see the rate move to $7.25 in 2009. Here's hoping they think of other ways to help those in the most need. The flawed and unpopular trickle-down theory Republicans have long supported - giving tax breaks to the rich so they'll spend the money in the community and, thus, increase the un-rich's available funds, if you will - just are not cutting it.

Harry Potter fans have their Muggles in a bunch over review

The New York Times reviewed the latest and final installment of the Harry Potter book series on Friday, a day before the official release date. And Harry Potter fans don't like it one bit.
You know what? It's a review! When will people realize they have a choice in whether they read a review or not? But even worse is what some people are saying in the above link. One person who responded under the name "Maria" said reviewing the book and giving away details in the disguise of a review is like "killing a baby-elephant (sic) in front of kids." What?!?! I know plenty of people who enjoy Harry Potter. I have enjoyed the movies so far. But, seriously, if you equate killing an animal with reviewing a book early and ruining it for you - without acknowledging the fact that it's your fault for opening the review - refocus your energy on other things.
Some fans feel betrayed. Some are demanding an apology. And then there's "Alexis." She says "the point is that every HP fan is trying their hardest to avoid being spoiled..." That's not what it sounds like from this point of view.
But one of the best comments in the link is from "amanda." She said this is not a proud day in America and "this is why other countries hate America." Yes. Premature book reviews. I think she found the root of all terrorism. Give her a Nobel Peace Prize.

Beckham's arrival will only do positive things for soccer's popularity

Quick. Name five teams in Major League Soccer. Can't do it? You're not alone.
Soccer in America has long been thought of as, well, it hasn't been thought of at all. Prevailing wisdom says David Beckham will change that.
Beckham played in 12 minutes of the Los Angeles Galaxy's exhibition match against the British club, Chelsea FC, and the league expects him to provide a long-awaited shot in the arm as it continues to struggle to match the popularity of even the National Hockey League.
You know what? It's going to work. Success in American minds is a process. For years, soccer has tried to hop on the momentum of the 1994 men's World Cup held in the United States. The MLS began its games in 1996. The women's World Cup then gave the sport a huge spike when the U.S. team won it on its home turf in 1999. You remember it? The Brandi Chastain game?
Anyway, the next logical step is finding a superstar. So the league lured one of the biggest in the world. And now it's time to watch it grow.