Written by Matt Fay | 26 June 2008

George Carlin, R.I.P.

Saying goodbye to the man who made us all laugh by making us feel stupid for what we believed.

Written by Eric Plourde | 18 February 2008

Imagine a world in which the United States has finally won the War on Drugs. After years of massive government spending and violent enforcement tactics, at last the nation is a place where we can safely raise our children. Our families are stronger, our communities safer, and our population better off. Right?

Wrong. Dead wrong. Victory in the War on Drugs will create a hellish state in America. Disagree? Let’s look at the facts. In a recent study, 46.1% of adults ages 26 and older admitted to using some sort of illicit drug at some point in their lives. In other words, almost half of adult Americans are current or former drug users and would be tossed in the slammer. I don’t think this is what Nancy Reagan had in mind.

Written by Chris Lenz | 18 February 2008

Analyzing MySpace

A Place for Naive and Narcissistic Children of Western Capitalism
Christopher R. Lenz

So what is this ironic example of our greatness, you ask? Well, look no farther than the cultural phenomenon known as MySpace.

I’m not going to bother explaining to you what MySpace is, other than that MySpace is a place for friends, stalkers, and bands that will generally never amount to anything. It is also a Mecca for teenage angst, and a tool for youth to express their not-quite-so-unique individuality. So how did I come to acquire such a comprehensive knowledge of so many teenage web pages on the Internet? No, I’m not a child molester. But I do use MySpace as a promotional tool, and for that reason I have become well acquainted with the inner workings of the teenage mind. In the span of 15 seconds of visiting a profile of a new friend, I’ll have found out your name, browsed the headlines of your blog, and have generally acquired an idea of what you’re all about, before I send you a message pretending that I actually care about your life. And this is all so I can get you to visit my page, so that I may then benefit from your insecurity and vanity.

Written by The Prometheus Staff | 30 January 2008

Nightclub Politics
The politics and economics of the bar scene
Justin Hartfield and Christopher R. Lenz

A new paradigm for basic economic theory has arrived. Here, we illustrate the basic principles of supply and demand, renewable/nonrenewable resources and American capitalism with an analogy that easily resonates with young audiences -- the bar scene.

The Venue= The Marketplace
Each venue appeals to a unique crowd. Dimly lit bars with deafening guitar sounds echoing through floor speakers will appeal to a totally different crowd than an upscale sushi restaurant which turns into trendy hip-hop club after-hours. The venue determines the clientele. Some venues will attract fewer patrons with more disposable income while others will attract more patrons with less disposable income. The fewer venues exist in an area, the more diverse the customers.