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silveradeptThe first day back was light enough - got reading done, got some work done, got a paper back. I’ve found out that I can make the magic of paper-writing go cross-discipline. Well, I did that a few times in my undergraduate, with my various classes, I suppose, but this is proving I can do it on the graduate level. And then my editors get a hold of it and only make it better.
It’s on MySpace, which might elicit a hiss from the crowd (or not), but this is what happens when you apply the logic of No Child Left Behind to dentistry. See how silly it is? There are probably people who would heartily endorse the extension of that logic to other professions like dentistry, though. So maybe we shouldn’t be giving them ideas...
A short piece in the New York Times about how the industrialized world is having fertility rates drop, some below the “replacement rate”. It then describes a “fertility paradox” in some countries - those countries that offer paid maternity leave and subsidized child care have higher fertility rates than those using "traditional" man-works-woman-raises-children methods. Isn’t that odd? Women who can work and be mothers are having more children than countries where women feel they have to choose between working and being a mother. Maybe they’re more secure about starting a family because they know there’s something there to help them out once they have a child. The United States could stand to take a page out of that playbook, but it probably won’t happen because all the opponents would have to do is shout “Socialism! Socialism! Lalalalalalalala!” and the whole thing would collapse.
Two articles are next, originating from the same source. Probably aiming to be funny, and falling somewhat short of the goal (because these days, there’s a chance the most outlandish statement that you can think of in the political sphere has been seriously voiced by someone), what the left-wing extremist believes, and what the right-wing extremist believes. As I was saying, there are shades of possible truth in both, depending on whose lens you look at them with. There was also an alternate right-wing list proposed by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
satyrblade on bradhicks's journal. And much venting and commentary was had by all. (Hooray.)
Amy Goodman of Democracy now talked with General Wesley Clark (recall that name?), who hints he might be running for President, details decisions that were made to invade Iraq (and possibly Iran) without supporting evidence, and outlines what he thinks can be done to change the course of the conflict in Iraq, among other things. There’s a lot there in the interview about both past and present.
European light bulb manufacturers are looking to encourage all the consumers of Europe to follow Australia’s lead and switch over totally to compact flourescent lamps for all their lightning needs. Th energy savings supposedly would be the equivalent of twenty-seven power plants’ generation. That’s pretty impressive. And if the possibility of carbon nanotubes helping to improve solar cell efficiency is good, then we get closer to being able to harness renewable sources for more power generation than before.
The Cherokee Nation voted on Sunday to revoke tribal citizenship for the descendants of slaves Cherokees owned. Only those with the blood in them are part of the nation now, and only those part of the nation can secure any tribal benefits provided.
Planet Ark says there's a good chance there will be more hurricanes in the Atlatntic than average this year, as the El Nino system that has been hanging around since last year has gone away. Batten down the hatches, and if there is a $DEITY, he’d better stay well clear of New Orleans.
Steampunk Keyboard. It’s an excellent-looking device, with typewriter keys and brassed buttons, metal and great design. I think I would very much enjoy having a keyboard like that, and I wonder if/hope that someone has applied/will apply this principle to creating an entire keyboard/monitor/peripheral set-up on the steampunk idea. Style and substance, too. Good piece of work.
The New York Times also has a piece on how to grow a super-athlete (start early, practice deliberately, take plenty of time), which was as much about myelin reinforcement of nerve pathways and channels used often as it was about the building blocks of good technique and skill. In addition to that, good breakfast foods will keep them healthy while tehy do sport - a press release from the American Heart Association says that whole-grain cereals (those with at least 25 percent oat or bran content) reduce the risk of heart disease if eaten regularly.
A third piece from the Times, clocking in at eleven webpages, talks about the research around the evolution of religion and G-d into brain function, and whether that early adaptation serves any purpose in modern society. Religion might have appeared because of the tendency to ascribe agency and narratives to what could be random noise, as well as the theory of mind that lets us think in other people’s shoes. That could create disembodied minds mucking about with the universe. Then make those agents slightly outside the bounds of scientific reality, and you have gods, angels, and other beings. Or, perhaps think of what religion could have conferred to the ancestors as evolutionary advantages, things that we may not consider to be advantages today, but were then. Have a read (although you’ll need the services of BugMeNot), and make your own conclusions about the origins of G-d.
Last bit for tonight is a gimmick, but perhaps one that will eventually be of use - people can buy certificates of ownership for personalized parallel universes. Of course, we’d have to figure out how to slide into them for the deed to be worth anything... and even then, we might have to figure out how to deal with ourselves in our own ideal situation. This is assuming, of course, that the person and their doppelganger don’t pull a matter-anti-matter reaction when they get close.
That’s all you get from me tonight. I’ll dream of layout designs and case studies and the whole programming thing, too... and there’s a couple other projects that I have to get in order. This month is going to be hell. I can just tell...
It’s on MySpace, which might elicit a hiss from the crowd (or not), but this is what happens when you apply the logic of No Child Left Behind to dentistry. See how silly it is? There are probably people who would heartily endorse the extension of that logic to other professions like dentistry, though. So maybe we shouldn’t be giving them ideas...
A short piece in the New York Times about how the industrialized world is having fertility rates drop, some below the “replacement rate”. It then describes a “fertility paradox” in some countries - those countries that offer paid maternity leave and subsidized child care have higher fertility rates than those using "traditional" man-works-woman-raises-children methods. Isn’t that odd? Women who can work and be mothers are having more children than countries where women feel they have to choose between working and being a mother. Maybe they’re more secure about starting a family because they know there’s something there to help them out once they have a child. The United States could stand to take a page out of that playbook, but it probably won’t happen because all the opponents would have to do is shout “Socialism! Socialism! Lalalalalalalala!” and the whole thing would collapse.
Two articles are next, originating from the same source. Probably aiming to be funny, and falling somewhat short of the goal (because these days, there’s a chance the most outlandish statement that you can think of in the political sphere has been seriously voiced by someone), what the left-wing extremist believes, and what the right-wing extremist believes. As I was saying, there are shades of possible truth in both, depending on whose lens you look at them with. There was also an alternate right-wing list proposed by
satyrblade on bradhicks's journal. And much venting and commentary was had by all. (Hooray.) Amy Goodman of Democracy now talked with General Wesley Clark (recall that name?), who hints he might be running for President, details decisions that were made to invade Iraq (and possibly Iran) without supporting evidence, and outlines what he thinks can be done to change the course of the conflict in Iraq, among other things. There’s a lot there in the interview about both past and present.
European light bulb manufacturers are looking to encourage all the consumers of Europe to follow Australia’s lead and switch over totally to compact flourescent lamps for all their lightning needs. Th energy savings supposedly would be the equivalent of twenty-seven power plants’ generation. That’s pretty impressive. And if the possibility of carbon nanotubes helping to improve solar cell efficiency is good, then we get closer to being able to harness renewable sources for more power generation than before.
The Cherokee Nation voted on Sunday to revoke tribal citizenship for the descendants of slaves Cherokees owned. Only those with the blood in them are part of the nation now, and only those part of the nation can secure any tribal benefits provided.
Planet Ark says there's a good chance there will be more hurricanes in the Atlatntic than average this year, as the El Nino system that has been hanging around since last year has gone away. Batten down the hatches, and if there is a $DEITY, he’d better stay well clear of New Orleans.
Steampunk Keyboard. It’s an excellent-looking device, with typewriter keys and brassed buttons, metal and great design. I think I would very much enjoy having a keyboard like that, and I wonder if/hope that someone has applied/will apply this principle to creating an entire keyboard/monitor/peripheral set-up on the steampunk idea. Style and substance, too. Good piece of work.
The New York Times also has a piece on how to grow a super-athlete (start early, practice deliberately, take plenty of time), which was as much about myelin reinforcement of nerve pathways and channels used often as it was about the building blocks of good technique and skill. In addition to that, good breakfast foods will keep them healthy while tehy do sport - a press release from the American Heart Association says that whole-grain cereals (those with at least 25 percent oat or bran content) reduce the risk of heart disease if eaten regularly.
A third piece from the Times, clocking in at eleven webpages, talks about the research around the evolution of religion and G-d into brain function, and whether that early adaptation serves any purpose in modern society. Religion might have appeared because of the tendency to ascribe agency and narratives to what could be random noise, as well as the theory of mind that lets us think in other people’s shoes. That could create disembodied minds mucking about with the universe. Then make those agents slightly outside the bounds of scientific reality, and you have gods, angels, and other beings. Or, perhaps think of what religion could have conferred to the ancestors as evolutionary advantages, things that we may not consider to be advantages today, but were then. Have a read (although you’ll need the services of BugMeNot), and make your own conclusions about the origins of G-d.
Last bit for tonight is a gimmick, but perhaps one that will eventually be of use - people can buy certificates of ownership for personalized parallel universes. Of course, we’d have to figure out how to slide into them for the deed to be worth anything... and even then, we might have to figure out how to deal with ourselves in our own ideal situation. This is assuming, of course, that the person and their doppelganger don’t pull a matter-anti-matter reaction when they get close.
That’s all you get from me tonight. I’ll dream of layout designs and case studies and the whole programming thing, too... and there’s a couple other projects that I have to get in order. This month is going to be hell. I can just tell...
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no subject
Date: 2007-03-06 06:41 am (UTC)Have the best
-=TK
no subject
Date: 2007-03-06 07:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-07 06:54 am (UTC)Have the best
-=TK
no subject
Date: 2007-03-06 11:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-06 01:25 pm (UTC)(Personally, as a left-wing liberal European, I found myself arguing with both lists, so...)
no subject
Date: 2007-03-06 01:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-06 04:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-06 04:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-06 06:48 pm (UTC)I'm a college educated woman. I graduate college and am offered a job at a really great company with the ability to move myself up in the company. At the same time, I meet and marry someone. I've been working my way up the corporate ladder, and now I'm third in command. I decide to have a baby. Federal law states that my employer must give me six weeks of maternity leave, and guarantee me a job when I get back. Not my original job position, but A job within the company. It also does not guarantee the six weeks to be paid maternity leave. So, I get six weeks with my new baby before I have to put her into daycare, and there also is a law in place that says babies have to be at least twelve (it might be 8, but I think it's 12) weeks old before they can be placed into a daycare center with other babies. Now, this six weeks also includes if in my last month of my pregnancy I have to go on bed rest - then I only get two weeks with my new baby. If I take longer than six weeks, my company doesn't have to offer me a job back AT ALL, and they have the law backing them up. (unless this has changed since afriend/former co-worker of mine had a baby) So, I have my baby, and after six weeks of no paycheck, I have to put him into daycare and somehow afford that. In addition to all the baby supplies - diapers, formula, wipes, etc. Because of my high-paying job I had before I left to give birth, State assistance programs laugh at me when I go to them for help. Oh, and insurance? Baby is only covered under my insurance for six weeks (i think), then baby has to have her own policy/card. Most employers don't even offer free insurance to their own employees, let alone thier employees families. Suddenly, in addition to all the other costs, I have to shell out 75% of the cost of my baby's monthly health insurance. Oh, and depending on when you started your job and when you got pregnant, your pregnancy might not even be coverd under your insurance.
So, my six weeks have passed, and I get to go back to work, but now i've been dropped down to sixth from the top. They replaced me while I was out on maternity leave, and they like that person in my old position. I have to either find a relative or hire a nanny to watch baby until she is old enough to be enrolled in daycare, and as it's only been six weeks since the birth, my body is still reacting to giving birth and having a baby. I might still be bleeding, I'm probably leaking breast milk, but if I didn't come back to work, I might not have had a job.
Of course, this doesn't even mention the father of my child. He might be lucky if his employer allows him to take off a week after the baby is born to spend time with his child. After all, he wasn't the one giving birth, so why should his company give him maternity (paternity) leave?
I've actually seen that scenario happen to a former co-worker/friend of mine. She had to stop working about three weeks before the baby was born, and she came back to work a mere two weeks after the baby's birth, because she and her husband couldn't handle the five week lack of a paycheck (probably about $2000 "lost"). She called our insurance company to add her child, and she found out it would cost an additional $100 per paycheck to cover him. When she returned to work, she found that all her tasks had been re-assigned to others so those things would get done in the weeks she was off. The boss decided not to give her back those tasks, because they liked the way the replacement was doing it.
Knowing all this...would a woman really want to have a baby? I know it makes me want to wait until I know that myself and my (future) husband can afford the time off from work, and maybe even have one of us stay home with the baby instead of putting them into daycare where they are exposed to illnesses constantly.
no subject
Date: 2007-03-06 08:23 pm (UTC)The FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) states that you are entitle to up to 12 unpaid weeks of leave. This allows leave for both fathers and mother, and applies in other cases like adoption. I think this may apply for things like caring for an elderly parent also. (I researched it in 2005.)
Of course, my company's compliance with FMLA is VOLUNTARY since it only applies to companies with 50 or more employees, and (IIRC) 50% of the workforce in this country work in smaller firms.
If you have short term disability insurance, you can get a partial paycheck. For me it was 1 week after I stopped working (at doctor's request) until 6 weeks after the baby was born. The disability goes up if there are complications that necessitate a longer recovery (a c-section is one such condition).
Many day cares accept babies as early as 6 weeks, including the one I found.
The baby is only covered under Mom's insurance until he/she leaves the hospital, and then he must be covered as a dependent. I don't know what going rates are for child insurance. Luckily my employer is good in the insurance department. I did run into a problem where I hit the maximum yearly preventative benefit before my kid got all his shots (which wouldn't have happened if he'd been born in July instead of at the turn of the year).
Anyway, I can imagine the scenario you described happening, especially if the person doesn't understand their rights and/or can't afford a lawyer.
And finally, the comment I was going to add: to combine the NCLB with this, I think that if the government was serious about creating educated children, they would create a voucher system so that day care was subsidized. The point is that learning starts at birth not kindergarden. A safe and warm social environment is key to getting children a good start. (Warning, not all day care's qualify. We looked at one place where the woman had 6 children spread out across a house and 3 were in the back in a dark room staring at a television about 3 feet away. *Shudders*)
no subject
Date: 2007-03-06 08:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-06 08:47 pm (UTC)Anyway - I think that's the bigger problem, that the smaller companies (like the one I worked for) don't offer things like twelve weeks. The company we worked for told us "by law" they had to give six, and didn't offer any to the father.
I wasn't sure if the insurance part was "leave the hospital" or if there was a grace period. Now, does that "leave the hospital" include if there is somethin wrong with the child that requires an extended stay longer than the mother, or is it "when mom leaves"? Most employers in this area pay about 75% of the employee's insurance and then 0-50% of your dependents insurance.
The daycare I formerly worked for was state regulated and I know we couldn't have children as young as six weeks. Our cut off was eight or twelve, but that also may have had to do with the education level of the teachers (myself and one other person were the only two with 4-year degrees in child development)
Because we were state-regulated, we got support from the state to subsidize childcare for low-income families. of course, we still charged crazy amounts for parents who weren't consdiered "low income", and frankly? the center I worked at SUCKED. We didn't have TVs to plop the kids down at, but I recall when I wanted to do arts and crafts with the kids, it was shot down by one of the other teachers because it was "too messy".
And that's a problem too - Quality affordable daycare for the "average" person. The inexpensive daycare centers are often lacking in having a teaching staff, and even sometimes in nutritional meals. Again, back to the center I worked at straight out of college - We didn't even have a nutritionist on staff to plan meals. Meals were determined by what the food service company had to offer for the week, and what was "cheap". Pizza and tater tots were often on the list.
Having an employer who is flexible and allows you to take leave, and allows the father to take leave is great to have, but a lot of people just don't have jobs that are that flexible - particularly if you work in retail or customer service.
You got disability? Nice. I was out for six weeks with a spinal tap and had to fight for my disability pay, so I can only imagine what it might have been like if someone was trying to get disability after having a baby.
you're right though, at least in the case of my co-worker, she took what she was told by the employer as being WORD and din't look into things any farther. I think that's a big problem too - employers might not tell you the whole story of what youcan get because they don't want to give it out.
no subject
Date: 2007-03-06 09:02 pm (UTC)Hey don't get me wrong. There are tons of problem with the system. I'm lucky in many respects because my employers has phenomenal benefits and a culture of openness and fairness.
Regarding disability (though I think it's funny to call pregnancy a disability), it is something you actually can see coming. I filled out my claim before a stopped working which meant little hassle later. But again, the HR person here was a huge help to me, so I imagine most folks don't get an experience like I had. That fact does depress me.
FYI, I got most of my information via the employee handbook and my benefits information sheets - items which the company is legally bound to. That gave me a worst case scenario for which to plan. I had a fairly good idea of what to expect before we got pregnant. Researching before you are committed is key so you can make the best decision for yourself and your family. (IIRC http://babycenter.com has a pre-pregnancy section so that could be some help.)
no subject
Date: 2007-03-06 09:20 pm (UTC)and I agree, it's funny to think of a pregnancy as a disability, but if the pay is offered, you might as well apply for it as far in advance as you can, since well, generally you know you're pregnant at least eight months before the baby is born!