To Wed Now or Later?....That is the question.

(Photo: Courtesy of LaTimes.com)

It's been a long time coming for same-sex couples to formally cement their lifelong committment and it looks like avid Prop 8 groupies will still be raining on their parade.

Same-sex marriages in California was made legal last Wednesday when U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker decided Prop 8 was unconstitutional. Today he made recent additions to the ruling citing that gay couples will be permitted to wed next Thursday August 18, if plans go without a hitch.

The hitch being ---interference of the appeals court.

Gay marriage opposers have asked the appeals court to halt gay marriages while the case is still pending before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court.

Walker initially provided permission for Prop 8 supporters to appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals before 5 p.m. that day.

Walker doubts that the opponents of his state law have any rights to deny his state ruling when the california governor and district attorney sit at his right hand in support of the controversial overturn.

However, it is fitting to say that Prop 8 supporters are riding on the "power of the people," ideal to successfully execute their case.

In a public statement, lead trial attorney for protectmarriage.com Charles Cooper says "The decision whether to redefine the institution is for the people themselves to make, not a single district court judge, especially without appellate scrutiny."

If prop 8 supports are victorious in delaying the gay and/or lesbian legal marital ceremonies, the case could be passed onto the U.S. Supreme Court which would leave homosexual couples waiting rather impatiently indefinitely.

Out With the New Ear in the With the Old Ear.

(photo courtesy of AP image)

Everyone goes through a fashionable trend in hopes of obtaining full assimilation or self-identification. But after the puberty wears off and the cliques disappear all that is left is the "real world."

This is a world that does not care about one's newest form of physical expression, in fact it expects less of it. Upon realizing this, today several young people are finding themselves at odds with the job market and are searching for ways to undo what has been done.

And no, I'm not talking about tattoos and laser treatment. Ear plugs are the latest form of common regret.

Ear plugs have been and still is one of the main accessories for young men and women. However when the time comes to find a corporate job, A good chunk of America's youth finds itself with some required reparation; reparation of the ear lobe that is.

As "cool" as these ear plugs might appear, without them in tact all that is left is a huge hole in one's ear. Of course, one would need to have spaced out the hole several millimeters for that to happen. Nevertheless, walking around with a noticeably large hole in a very exposed body part may become uncomfortable for the employee and his or her work environment. Above all, a massive absence in the ear lobe would be deemed unacceptable in most work places.

So where do you go to sew that ear right back up? Dr. Brian S. Glatt is his name. Brian S. Glatt has seen numerous young individuals come and go from his office for this specific procedure.

The procedure consists of him cutting around the hole then slicing the earlobe into two pieces and sews the pieces back together while trimming the excess skin, of course. The procedure does leave a scar.

Also, he notes that smokers heal slower than non-smokers and that the procedure cannot be done if the hole exceeds 6 millimeters.

A Different Kind of Fork In The Road

(photo courtesy of AP image)

12th and Delaware, a documentary currently broadcasted on the HBO network, discusses the two sides of abortion also known as pro-choice and pro-life . Although there have been various controversial discussions concerning the popular debate, none of them compare to the street corner of 12th and Delaware; where the realty of abortion has never felt more consequential.

Picture this, a pregnancy care center on the left and a small abortion clinic on the right. Then imagine yourself to be a young woman unexpectedly expecting and completely unprepared in all aspects of life standing right in the middle of it all. Whose life is more important you ask yourself--- mine or the baby's?

On your left is a community believes that you can take care of this baby. No, rather it is your moral obligation to give birth despite your short-comings. Without hesitation they show you what your fetus looks like on the day of your visitation and provide ultra sound copies with phrases such as, "Hello Daddy and Mommy." When they leave you to think things over, a swarm of anti-abortion pamphlets surround you chanting quotes like, "Abortion causes breast cancer." Did I mention that they buy you lunch?

(On a personal level, I was truly bothered by their propaganda. Let it be known that there is no evidence proving that an abortion causes cancer.)

Now on your right is a small abortion clinic run by a married couple who tell you it's your body and no one else can take away your rights. They calm your anxiety and promise that the extraction of the fetus does not hurt and is not anyway a "bloody mess," like the picketers depict on their posters. They may not buy you lunch but they do offer discounts depending on the age of the baby and financial status of the mother.

(I thought, do they really care about you or are they just trying to make a dollar?)

Note, some of these unexpected mothers-to-be or in this case, not-to-be are at least 15 years old. It is interesting to witness the emotional trauma they experience as they are confronted by two institutions who have mastered the power of persuasion.

7 year- old entrepreneurs beware of the infamous "Restaurant Inspector!"

(photo courtesy of AP image)

Selling lemonade on a hot summer day is definitely not how it used to be when a 7 year- old from Portland gets confronted by a health inspector for being professionally unequipped. Has the recession really brought out such disgusting negativity?

7 year-old Julie Murphy was threatened to be fined up to 500 dollars if she continued selling her "unauthorized," lemonade at 50 cents a cup at the local arts fair. However despite incredible support from the other vendors who urged Julie and her mother not to leave the fair, the sweet little lemonade lady left in tears after an additional inspector arrived.

Upon witnessing such a ridiculous citation, locals complained to County Chairman Jeff Cogan demanding a formal apology to the Murphy's.

Cogan responded instantly saying "A lemonade stand is a classic, iconic American kid thing to do...I don't want to be in the business of shutting it down."

He also noted that the inspectors were merely responsibly doing their job and instead of a threatening citation, perhaps a break would have been most appropriate.

The fight is not over yet. Several fair vendors are planning a "Lemonade Revolt," where multiple lemonade stands will sell lemonade without authorized licenses. "When you got lemons, make lemonade," has taken on a whole new meaning thanks to Ms. Julie Murphy and her little American dream.