Yet another day. - 01 November 2007
Nov. 1st, 2007 11:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
silveradeptWell, today had a meeting. And they moved fairly quickly. Which is good. I stayed awake thanks to sugar and tea, but I think my dentist will have my head if I continue that tactic, so I have to figure out some other way of doing things. The tea part might stay, but I had three cups over the course of the four-hour meeting, and I’d rather not turn into someone who depends on such things. Tomorrow may require alternate tactics, as my drinking vessels have not arrived, and I doubt the meeting tomorrow is going to have quite so much for tea selection. Perhaps I’ll just need to carry glasses of water.
Onward to the news.
American populace proves it does learn, after all - United States Army recruiting figures are at a record low. Others, however, think they’re still ignorant of the biggest truth of them all - American democracy is the cleverest way of oppressing the masses devised, in that while it concentrates power and money in the hands of a wealthy elite, it provides the illusion that the people actually have any sort of control or power, so they’re unlikely to dismantle it in favor of something that really does give them power.
Brent Bozell III declares the peace movement passe, because of the Congressional cock-up, general impasse, and media coverage that follows it around, waiting for something to happen. I’d say that Bozell almost got it - the people are tired of the media portrayal of the peace movement, the Congressional impasse, and the rest. The pace movement itself? Still going strong, I’d say, and probably doing quite well away from the cameras. Cynicism has most likely set in, now that it’s basically assured that there’s likely to be no progress anywhere for the next twelve months. As we find out, Donald Rumsfeld was always looking to inflame passions and make the populace follow the Republican line, including some real stinkers about what Muslims do and don’t like, and the need to link Iraq and Iran. Of course, it might be more cynicism about the responses, rather than the protests.
There’s probably a witty transition here from cynicism about politics to Stephen Colbert attempting to file as a Democratic candidate, and his subsequent exclusion from the ballot by the South Carolina Democrats, accusing him of using them to further a political joke. I don’t know. I think the Democrats are afraid that electoral votes would go to Colbert. Or even more, that people might think the Karen Hughes Public Diplomacy Initiative was government policy rather than satire. Wait, those are based on things that she actually said, aren’t they? That would make them more like policy. Ick.
The General goes after a beloved children’s icon and outs Mr. Brown, from the Dr. Seuss story, as a homosexual, due to his continued hanging out with Mr. Black for most of the story. The General’s writers are great at poking fun. Hot Air, however, is probably serious in lambasting Nickelodeon for running an advertisement for World Can't Wait. So a channel geared toward young children is playing political advertisements. We always want kids to get involved in politics and think for themselves, right? And the earlier, the better. So that way even young children can decide for themselves whether Mr. Bush saying that Congress has wasted its time trying to end the Iraq war is a true statement or the frustrated rantings of a child not getting his way immediately. Or possibly the ravings of a madman.
Like mixing naptha and gasoline, some Christian pastors find Scientology a complementary practice. From the article, it looks more like the use of the basic materials, where one might find much the same stuff as in any self-help book, but if there are deeper principles at work, somewhere, something’s going to give.
In other religious news, perhaps more sober than the previous unit, a winner of an American lottery has promised to build a school to teach witchcraft, most likely the specific Wicca practice that he himself follows. This could be quite an interesting sequence to watch, even though I’m fairly certain there will be no news mention of it at all. Until someone from, say, a fundamentalist Christian organization notices. Then that whole naptha/gasoline combination might come back with a vengeance.
Which makes a nice segue into the Slacktivist's Gay-Hatin' Gospel, Part Five: It's all political. The most credible theory yet, is that evangelicals (for whom the Barna Group study mostly focuses on) have had their fears played to, their thoughts manipulated, and their churches steeplejacked by demagogues lying out both ends of their asses to gain political power and influence. By using a safe target, like homosexuals, and in conjunction with all the other theories discussed before, those hucksters sell the congregation into focusing on temporal matters rather than spiritual ones, and drag them way off the path of the Christ they claim to follow. Instead of kicking a gay couple out of a Rite-Aid because they were hugging, they’d be protesting the decision with a hug-in. Affection for all, all I say! And protection for all, too. That way, nobody has to wonder whether the environment surrounding a young transgender man from taking his own life.
Oh, and did we mention that a study done in the 1960s found out that most of the people seeking fellatio in public restrooms are actually heterosexual, married, and getting absolutely nothing in terms of sex from their wives? So maybe some of those closet people really are looking for something quick that’s not a wank because they can’t get anything from their wives.
Ever wanted to see the skyline, but from the ground? Mitsubishi offers a walk-in panoramic display of the Kyoto skyline. Which could have applications in virtual reality and other fields. Or for acrophobic (is that the right one?) people to see the skies while knowing their feet are firmly planted on the ground.
Something that might give people cause for hope is the possibility that laser pulses might be able to kill viruses without harming healthy cells. Although some of the commentators say that this idea has been done before, with varying opinions on whether the discrediting of the previous person was a cover-up or destroying a quack.
Some technology that might have trickle-down effects, rather unlike Ronald Reagan’s economic policy, is Formula One racing's mandate that their cars cease research on engines and devote attention to conservation of fuel and energy. Perhaps if we can make the fast racing cars with no practical application into green cars, we might find a way of applying those systems to regular cars. A different way of recycling and reusing items than the F1’s car requirements for energy conservation are spiders made from stainless steel scissors swiped from those who ran afoul of the Transportation Security Administration.
Our next-to-last spot gets cheers and praise for an accurate article describing what goes on at furry conventions. Methods were a bit suspect, in the sense that the writer went clandestine after being told of a no media policy, but the article that came out of it was fair and descriptive of what actually went on, rather than trying to manufacture or play to preconceptions about the alternaculture. Admittedly, the writer sounds a bit disappointed in not finding teh orgeez, in my opinion, but that didn’t stop her from writing an excellent article. I’m sure there’s not going to be overnight acceptance
Last for tonight is a plea to bring back the transitive verb. Avoiding “to be” and its derivatives, the prose of our lives takes on action, suspense, and interactivity. Active voice makes everyone participate and creates a more dynamic language. Maybe that’s why the grammar checker always said “avoid the passive voice.” So, in that active vein, More actors than you might think have geek credentials .
Okay, one more. Despite offering a double bed in the first-class suites of the Airbus A380, Singapore Airlines requests that its guests not engage in in-flight nookie. They made it easy to join the miles-high club, and they’re asking people not to engage in it. I don’t know how much they’ll be listened to, but the people around and underneath might be more interested in that than the in-flight movie.
I, however, am using the bed for the sleeping purposes, rather than the sport purposes. G’night.
Onward to the news.
American populace proves it does learn, after all - United States Army recruiting figures are at a record low. Others, however, think they’re still ignorant of the biggest truth of them all - American democracy is the cleverest way of oppressing the masses devised, in that while it concentrates power and money in the hands of a wealthy elite, it provides the illusion that the people actually have any sort of control or power, so they’re unlikely to dismantle it in favor of something that really does give them power.
Brent Bozell III declares the peace movement passe, because of the Congressional cock-up, general impasse, and media coverage that follows it around, waiting for something to happen. I’d say that Bozell almost got it - the people are tired of the media portrayal of the peace movement, the Congressional impasse, and the rest. The pace movement itself? Still going strong, I’d say, and probably doing quite well away from the cameras. Cynicism has most likely set in, now that it’s basically assured that there’s likely to be no progress anywhere for the next twelve months. As we find out, Donald Rumsfeld was always looking to inflame passions and make the populace follow the Republican line, including some real stinkers about what Muslims do and don’t like, and the need to link Iraq and Iran. Of course, it might be more cynicism about the responses, rather than the protests.
There’s probably a witty transition here from cynicism about politics to Stephen Colbert attempting to file as a Democratic candidate, and his subsequent exclusion from the ballot by the South Carolina Democrats, accusing him of using them to further a political joke. I don’t know. I think the Democrats are afraid that electoral votes would go to Colbert. Or even more, that people might think the Karen Hughes Public Diplomacy Initiative was government policy rather than satire. Wait, those are based on things that she actually said, aren’t they? That would make them more like policy. Ick.
The General goes after a beloved children’s icon and outs Mr. Brown, from the Dr. Seuss story, as a homosexual, due to his continued hanging out with Mr. Black for most of the story. The General’s writers are great at poking fun. Hot Air, however, is probably serious in lambasting Nickelodeon for running an advertisement for World Can't Wait. So a channel geared toward young children is playing political advertisements. We always want kids to get involved in politics and think for themselves, right? And the earlier, the better. So that way even young children can decide for themselves whether Mr. Bush saying that Congress has wasted its time trying to end the Iraq war is a true statement or the frustrated rantings of a child not getting his way immediately. Or possibly the ravings of a madman.
Like mixing naptha and gasoline, some Christian pastors find Scientology a complementary practice. From the article, it looks more like the use of the basic materials, where one might find much the same stuff as in any self-help book, but if there are deeper principles at work, somewhere, something’s going to give.
In other religious news, perhaps more sober than the previous unit, a winner of an American lottery has promised to build a school to teach witchcraft, most likely the specific Wicca practice that he himself follows. This could be quite an interesting sequence to watch, even though I’m fairly certain there will be no news mention of it at all. Until someone from, say, a fundamentalist Christian organization notices. Then that whole naptha/gasoline combination might come back with a vengeance.
Which makes a nice segue into the Slacktivist's Gay-Hatin' Gospel, Part Five: It's all political. The most credible theory yet, is that evangelicals (for whom the Barna Group study mostly focuses on) have had their fears played to, their thoughts manipulated, and their churches steeplejacked by demagogues lying out both ends of their asses to gain political power and influence. By using a safe target, like homosexuals, and in conjunction with all the other theories discussed before, those hucksters sell the congregation into focusing on temporal matters rather than spiritual ones, and drag them way off the path of the Christ they claim to follow. Instead of kicking a gay couple out of a Rite-Aid because they were hugging, they’d be protesting the decision with a hug-in. Affection for all, all I say! And protection for all, too. That way, nobody has to wonder whether the environment surrounding a young transgender man from taking his own life.
Oh, and did we mention that a study done in the 1960s found out that most of the people seeking fellatio in public restrooms are actually heterosexual, married, and getting absolutely nothing in terms of sex from their wives? So maybe some of those closet people really are looking for something quick that’s not a wank because they can’t get anything from their wives.
Ever wanted to see the skyline, but from the ground? Mitsubishi offers a walk-in panoramic display of the Kyoto skyline. Which could have applications in virtual reality and other fields. Or for acrophobic (is that the right one?) people to see the skies while knowing their feet are firmly planted on the ground.
Something that might give people cause for hope is the possibility that laser pulses might be able to kill viruses without harming healthy cells. Although some of the commentators say that this idea has been done before, with varying opinions on whether the discrediting of the previous person was a cover-up or destroying a quack.
Some technology that might have trickle-down effects, rather unlike Ronald Reagan’s economic policy, is Formula One racing's mandate that their cars cease research on engines and devote attention to conservation of fuel and energy. Perhaps if we can make the fast racing cars with no practical application into green cars, we might find a way of applying those systems to regular cars. A different way of recycling and reusing items than the F1’s car requirements for energy conservation are spiders made from stainless steel scissors swiped from those who ran afoul of the Transportation Security Administration.
Our next-to-last spot gets cheers and praise for an accurate article describing what goes on at furry conventions. Methods were a bit suspect, in the sense that the writer went clandestine after being told of a no media policy, but the article that came out of it was fair and descriptive of what actually went on, rather than trying to manufacture or play to preconceptions about the alternaculture. Admittedly, the writer sounds a bit disappointed in not finding teh orgeez, in my opinion, but that didn’t stop her from writing an excellent article. I’m sure there’s not going to be overnight acceptance
Last for tonight is a plea to bring back the transitive verb. Avoiding “to be” and its derivatives, the prose of our lives takes on action, suspense, and interactivity. Active voice makes everyone participate and creates a more dynamic language. Maybe that’s why the grammar checker always said “avoid the passive voice.” So, in that active vein, More actors than you might think have geek credentials .
Okay, one more. Despite offering a double bed in the first-class suites of the Airbus A380, Singapore Airlines requests that its guests not engage in in-flight nookie. They made it easy to join the miles-high club, and they’re asking people not to engage in it. I don’t know how much they’ll be listened to, but the people around and underneath might be more interested in that than the in-flight movie.
I, however, am using the bed for the sleeping purposes, rather than the sport purposes. G’night.
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no subject
Date: 2007-11-02 04:36 pm (UTC)I'm not sure if I'm more amused that someone would start finding homosexual references in Doctor Seuss or if I'm more amused that Mr. Black is deemed to be Amish. Although, he also could be a Hasidic (totally badly spelled) Jew. :P
The Nickelodeon show is a news show. I don't see anything wrong with showing other kids what kids are doing to help the world. The video started to cut out during the standardized testing part, so I only saw the sweatshop part and the world can't wait part. And if these kids were doing something like say....supporting President Bush, it'd be all over the national news. I applaud Nickelodeon for showing this!
A Wicca school. Pretty nifty. And nice caption on the HP photo too, I might add.
And more reason to move my prescription elsewhere now that my drug store got swallowed up by Rite Aid, my wonderful former employer.
"furries are like transvestites with a twist". can I smack her? And is it just me, or was the entire article tinged with negativity?
no subject
Date: 2007-11-02 05:56 pm (UTC)I think that an organization like World Can't Wait appealing to pre-teens and teens is taking them seriously, as soon-to-become political figures worthy of the investment of time and effort it takes to educate them. Which makes sense - eventually, they do become voting and politically active adults. By that time, they've probably formed a lot of opinions pretty solidly.
The caption is nice. I wonder how the logistics of a Wicca school would work out, really, considering that I'm unsure whether it could apply as a relgiious school, and what sort of rules and regulations govern the founding and operation of any school.
Well, I have no idea whether that's a corporate policy, or just a manager with no sense of affection that's responsible for that. This is the power of the Intarwebs, though, where one incident can be disseminated across the globe in a few minutes or hours.
I characterized the tone as disappointed more than negative, that all those things she was expecting to see just didn't materialize. You can have a thwack at that less-than-graceful phrase, though.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-02 09:05 pm (UTC)I have to try to remember what I said. this might take a while.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-02 09:01 pm (UTC)I liked the furry article, actually. She was very upfront about how she really wanted to be able to report on the pervy stuff, but when she didn't find any she wrote about what honestly went on.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-02 09:04 pm (UTC)Yeah, that's true too. I was thinking (and I think so was SA) that he wants to form a school for kids, but you're right it could very well be some type of "learn how to be a high priestess" type school. Hmm. I hadn't thought of that.
no subject
Date: 2007-11-03 01:46 am (UTC)I think that actually writing what happened, even after not finding what she was looking for, is what makes her article even better. Went looking for trouble, found none, stirred none up, reported on what was there. Disappointing, perhaps, for someone looking for the expose, but good journalism all-around.