![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Great and grand stuff - 08 May 2008
May. 9th, 2008 12:13 amGot to get all my preparations in order for the trip next week. Hehe. It’ll be quite a few days without access. I hope my e-mail box doesn’t back up or anything.
Starting out tonight’s entry with a healthy dose of WTF, Phyllis Schlafly will be receiving an honorary doctorate from Washignton University in St. Louis. The same Schlafly who yesterday praised Ben Stein for exposing a nonexistent conspiracy, and as the linked comment notes, is pretty anti-female, believing it’s not really possible for husband-wife sex to be rape, sex education classes as “in-home sales parties for abortions”, and firmly believes in the North American Union conspiracy. Not the kind of person that would be my first choice for an honorary degree.
Just as big of a WTF, though, was the firing of a Tim Horton's worker for giving an infant a Timbit - a 16 cent crime, really. But apparently a zero tolerance policy meant her dismissal for her good deed, with the manager considering it “theft”. The story turns out well, as she was rehired at a different Tim Horton's after the “overreaction” by said manager, so the owner of those franchises realized just what kind of nuttery went down there. No word yet on whether the manager who fired her has been dismissed or disciplined for their behavior. For all I know, upon hearing this story, the United States government wanted to hire the manager for some purpose in Homeland Security, or perhaps Internal Revenue.
In our international department, there is a new president in Russia, but the question is whether there has been any transfer of power, as Putin now takes on the role of Prime Minister.
Additionally, melting glaciers are releasing trapped toxins back into the water supply around them, which could make for nasty consequences on the local fauna.
Our art department has found several pictures of the Chilean volcanic eruption, capturing the fury and strange beauty of a very violent eruption.
United Nations relief planes are finally landing in Burma/Myanmar, having convinced the government to let them provide humanitarian aid to the people there. United States aid is still being denied, and there is delay on getting U.N. workers passports so that they can oversee distribution of the aid.
Out in the deserts of Abu Dhabi, a $22 billion city is being constructed, aminig to be a zero-emissions, renewable-powered city. We’ll see if the concept works, and then we’ll see if they can be built cheaper, and then possibly retrofitted onto our current cities.
The United States Navy has printed a manga to help promote the arrival of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in Japan. Understandably, the natives are a little less than happy that something with nuclear capabilities will be sitting in their harbor. Still, ahve to give the navy credit for thinking of this option in the first place.
Domestically, protesters snarled traffic in New York as they demonstrated against the acquittal of three officers accused of opening fire on unarmed men. The justification, in that the police officers fel threatened by the people in the car, is insufficient and covering-up for the knowledge that the officers committed murder.
According to Cybercast News, should a Democrat be elected President, they will have to deal with Iraq war funding immediately, as a motion will be introduced to cease funding the war immediately. Which will probably endear or alienate the president from the base, depending on how they react to that motion.
Jason Kemp has praise for the creative generalist, liking the flexibility of thinking, and being delighted when asked “What do you do for a Job?” and “What are you going to do when you grow up?”
The science department links us to an article saying humans are sensitive to even the small amount of electromagnetic radiation we get from cellular phones, which, while posing no health risks, may be worth investigating further to see if other effects appear. Those with the cell on transmit had trouble getting to sleep, even after they hadn’t had enough sleep the night before. There’s also a study that suggests having a bodacious booty might not be bad in that some fat types that collect there could fight off diabetes.
Just remember, with science, to Look Around You. For some video examples of this, consult the great oracle, Youtube.
Last for tonight, the opinion columns that deserve a quiche to the face. The Quiche of... truthiness? WTF? Fury? Needs a snapy name. ‘S not like I can say that these people are the worst persons in the world, or anything.
Someone kindly but insistently remind John Stossel that it is wrong to generalize an entire political orientation based on an interview with one person, and not only that, he has missed the point that Ariana was trying to make in his haste to denounce her “big government” liberalism. Things are getting better, but they could improve a lot more, if the programs in question had the kind of support they really require. And the figures he cites as “progress” still look pretty disturbing. Going from slightly over 30% of single mothers below the poverty line to slightly under 30% is not real progress, for me. There’s still nearly 30% of single mothers living below the poverty line. That’s the point that Ariana was going for. Conservatives and liberals both enjoy pointing to statistics that say things are getting better, even if that change is miniscule. But there’s always a danger about “lies, damned lies, and statistics” - if the number doesn’t really change, or is still too high, then that feeling of progress pride should probably be pretty small.
Brian Fitzpatrick thinks American patriotism is under attack, if by patriotism, one means “the rule of law, respect for God-given human rights, the democratic republican form of government and the free market.” I might agree in various shades on the first three, but it is the fourth that he goes after in the article. He opines that “Cuban revolutionary hero” is impossible because all communist governments have had bad despots as rulers. I personally think he missed the grammatical construction of the sentence, but if he wants to fight on different grounds, then by jingo, we’ll go for it. Being the hero of the revolution says very little about what one has done since, and for people who believe in the ideology, those rulers may still yet be heroes. This round of experiments has failed. Getting back to the meat of things, Fitzpatrick bodly claims that the world is catching up to American superpower because they are emulating the methods that make America great. “Any nation that abandons American values and turns to the secularist, egalitarian, utopian model so fashionable in elite circles will degenerate into a socialist dystopia like revolutionary Cuba.” he says, while also making sure to complain about the lack of a big fence on our southern border and the presence of illegal immigrants from Mexico.
Discounting the fact that we’ve never really had a true test of the socialist/communist model, because it needs worldwide adoption before it can be used as intended, Fitzpatrick has basically said “Greed is good and proper for Americans and the world, thanks be to God.” I resent his implication that America needs God to survive and his twisting of the language. Let’s consult the dictionary, shall we? “Patriotism - devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country; national loyalty”. Tell me again where that translates into slavish obedience to anything, be it an economic system, a form of government, or a belief in Ceiling Cat? Just because the American experiment looks to be working well now does not mean that it will work everywhere, nor for all time. It has significant flaws - the poor, the uninsured, and the destitute indicate that not everything is perfect yet, despite what Fitzpatrick may believe. Have some quiche and come back when you have a plan that will ensure that every American has a place that they can call home and doesn’t have to worry about whether or not they’ll be able to make their rent. After that, find a way that instills in every American the secure knowledge that because someone is of a different sex or race or creed or orientation or gender identity, they are not in any way inferior to anyone else. Then, maybe, we can start talking about unvarnished praise for this country.
And because there’s been a lot on my friendslist about rape and its consequences, a full account of a rape and its effects, from the perspective of more than twenty years afterward. This is potentially triggering, I’m sure. I think more people need to feel that they can report these things when they happen, they should report them, and that they shouldn’t internalize guilt or shame about the matter. I know that’s difficult, though, so I hope that at the very least, nobody feels afraid to report when they are assaulted or violated. It may have to start with parents being more honest about what they did in life, against the advice in that article, which says that parents shouldn’t reveal so much so they can stay the authority of the family. (Because telling your kids about the experiences you had makes you less of a parent?) Trust needs to be built, even on matters like sex, so that victims don’t feel alone or at fault, and that charges are pressed and people who rape get their punishment. It’s still sad that people think they’re entitled to someone else. And kind of a bad thing that the power trip that would happen from rape gets people off so much that they continue.
At the very last, news from the biology front - the platypus is... a mammal, but apparently has genes of birds and reptiles, too. No wonder it’s a silly thing. But it also might be a link in explaining how the very first mammals started moving toward their current dispositions.
Thus, having not ended on a down note, I’m going to bed. Have a staff meeting tomorrow that I have to get up early for.
Starting out tonight’s entry with a healthy dose of WTF, Phyllis Schlafly will be receiving an honorary doctorate from Washignton University in St. Louis. The same Schlafly who yesterday praised Ben Stein for exposing a nonexistent conspiracy, and as the linked comment notes, is pretty anti-female, believing it’s not really possible for husband-wife sex to be rape, sex education classes as “in-home sales parties for abortions”, and firmly believes in the North American Union conspiracy. Not the kind of person that would be my first choice for an honorary degree.
Just as big of a WTF, though, was the firing of a Tim Horton's worker for giving an infant a Timbit - a 16 cent crime, really. But apparently a zero tolerance policy meant her dismissal for her good deed, with the manager considering it “theft”. The story turns out well, as she was rehired at a different Tim Horton's after the “overreaction” by said manager, so the owner of those franchises realized just what kind of nuttery went down there. No word yet on whether the manager who fired her has been dismissed or disciplined for their behavior. For all I know, upon hearing this story, the United States government wanted to hire the manager for some purpose in Homeland Security, or perhaps Internal Revenue.
In our international department, there is a new president in Russia, but the question is whether there has been any transfer of power, as Putin now takes on the role of Prime Minister.
Additionally, melting glaciers are releasing trapped toxins back into the water supply around them, which could make for nasty consequences on the local fauna.
Our art department has found several pictures of the Chilean volcanic eruption, capturing the fury and strange beauty of a very violent eruption.
United Nations relief planes are finally landing in Burma/Myanmar, having convinced the government to let them provide humanitarian aid to the people there. United States aid is still being denied, and there is delay on getting U.N. workers passports so that they can oversee distribution of the aid.
Out in the deserts of Abu Dhabi, a $22 billion city is being constructed, aminig to be a zero-emissions, renewable-powered city. We’ll see if the concept works, and then we’ll see if they can be built cheaper, and then possibly retrofitted onto our current cities.
The United States Navy has printed a manga to help promote the arrival of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in Japan. Understandably, the natives are a little less than happy that something with nuclear capabilities will be sitting in their harbor. Still, ahve to give the navy credit for thinking of this option in the first place.
Domestically, protesters snarled traffic in New York as they demonstrated against the acquittal of three officers accused of opening fire on unarmed men. The justification, in that the police officers fel threatened by the people in the car, is insufficient and covering-up for the knowledge that the officers committed murder.
According to Cybercast News, should a Democrat be elected President, they will have to deal with Iraq war funding immediately, as a motion will be introduced to cease funding the war immediately. Which will probably endear or alienate the president from the base, depending on how they react to that motion.
Jason Kemp has praise for the creative generalist, liking the flexibility of thinking, and being delighted when asked “What do you do for a Job?” and “What are you going to do when you grow up?”
The science department links us to an article saying humans are sensitive to even the small amount of electromagnetic radiation we get from cellular phones, which, while posing no health risks, may be worth investigating further to see if other effects appear. Those with the cell on transmit had trouble getting to sleep, even after they hadn’t had enough sleep the night before. There’s also a study that suggests having a bodacious booty might not be bad in that some fat types that collect there could fight off diabetes.
Just remember, with science, to Look Around You. For some video examples of this, consult the great oracle, Youtube.
Last for tonight, the opinion columns that deserve a quiche to the face. The Quiche of... truthiness? WTF? Fury? Needs a snapy name. ‘S not like I can say that these people are the worst persons in the world, or anything.
Someone kindly but insistently remind John Stossel that it is wrong to generalize an entire political orientation based on an interview with one person, and not only that, he has missed the point that Ariana was trying to make in his haste to denounce her “big government” liberalism. Things are getting better, but they could improve a lot more, if the programs in question had the kind of support they really require. And the figures he cites as “progress” still look pretty disturbing. Going from slightly over 30% of single mothers below the poverty line to slightly under 30% is not real progress, for me. There’s still nearly 30% of single mothers living below the poverty line. That’s the point that Ariana was going for. Conservatives and liberals both enjoy pointing to statistics that say things are getting better, even if that change is miniscule. But there’s always a danger about “lies, damned lies, and statistics” - if the number doesn’t really change, or is still too high, then that feeling of progress pride should probably be pretty small.
Brian Fitzpatrick thinks American patriotism is under attack, if by patriotism, one means “the rule of law, respect for God-given human rights, the democratic republican form of government and the free market.” I might agree in various shades on the first three, but it is the fourth that he goes after in the article. He opines that “Cuban revolutionary hero” is impossible because all communist governments have had bad despots as rulers. I personally think he missed the grammatical construction of the sentence, but if he wants to fight on different grounds, then by jingo, we’ll go for it. Being the hero of the revolution says very little about what one has done since, and for people who believe in the ideology, those rulers may still yet be heroes. This round of experiments has failed. Getting back to the meat of things, Fitzpatrick bodly claims that the world is catching up to American superpower because they are emulating the methods that make America great. “Any nation that abandons American values and turns to the secularist, egalitarian, utopian model so fashionable in elite circles will degenerate into a socialist dystopia like revolutionary Cuba.” he says, while also making sure to complain about the lack of a big fence on our southern border and the presence of illegal immigrants from Mexico.
Discounting the fact that we’ve never really had a true test of the socialist/communist model, because it needs worldwide adoption before it can be used as intended, Fitzpatrick has basically said “Greed is good and proper for Americans and the world, thanks be to God.” I resent his implication that America needs God to survive and his twisting of the language. Let’s consult the dictionary, shall we? “Patriotism - devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country; national loyalty”. Tell me again where that translates into slavish obedience to anything, be it an economic system, a form of government, or a belief in Ceiling Cat? Just because the American experiment looks to be working well now does not mean that it will work everywhere, nor for all time. It has significant flaws - the poor, the uninsured, and the destitute indicate that not everything is perfect yet, despite what Fitzpatrick may believe. Have some quiche and come back when you have a plan that will ensure that every American has a place that they can call home and doesn’t have to worry about whether or not they’ll be able to make their rent. After that, find a way that instills in every American the secure knowledge that because someone is of a different sex or race or creed or orientation or gender identity, they are not in any way inferior to anyone else. Then, maybe, we can start talking about unvarnished praise for this country.
And because there’s been a lot on my friendslist about rape and its consequences, a full account of a rape and its effects, from the perspective of more than twenty years afterward. This is potentially triggering, I’m sure. I think more people need to feel that they can report these things when they happen, they should report them, and that they shouldn’t internalize guilt or shame about the matter. I know that’s difficult, though, so I hope that at the very least, nobody feels afraid to report when they are assaulted or violated. It may have to start with parents being more honest about what they did in life, against the advice in that article, which says that parents shouldn’t reveal so much so they can stay the authority of the family. (Because telling your kids about the experiences you had makes you less of a parent?) Trust needs to be built, even on matters like sex, so that victims don’t feel alone or at fault, and that charges are pressed and people who rape get their punishment. It’s still sad that people think they’re entitled to someone else. And kind of a bad thing that the power trip that would happen from rape gets people off so much that they continue.
At the very last, news from the biology front - the platypus is... a mammal, but apparently has genes of birds and reptiles, too. No wonder it’s a silly thing. But it also might be a link in explaining how the very first mammals started moving toward their current dispositions.
Thus, having not ended on a down note, I’m going to bed. Have a staff meeting tomorrow that I have to get up early for.
