My Own Lolcat: Nanny Stella Sez
August 31, 2007
i hazta stay timeouted…
Built with the Lolcats builder
Wal-Mart’s Roomate Style Quiz is Kinda Sexist
August 31, 2007
Has anyone else noticed the gender stereotypes in Wal-Mart’s “Roomate Style Match” Facebook quiz? I really don’t like how guys who are social and ready to entertain are “The Mayor” while women are just “Socialites.” Why can’t we be Mayors, too?
How Can Republicans Court the Female Vote? By Embracing Reproductive Rights
August 31, 2007
Kimberly Strassel has an innovative column in the WSJ today about how the Republican party can and should be courting the female vote.
She argues that a flat tax would be attractive to women because:
Most married women are second-earners. That means their income is added to that of their husband’s, and thus taxed at his highest marginal rate. So the married woman working as a secretary keeps less of her paycheck than the single woman who does the exact same job. This is the ultimate in “inequality,” yet Democrats constantly promote the very tax code that punishes married working women. In some cases, the tax burdens and child-care expenses for second-earners are so burdensome they can’t afford a career. But when was the last time a Republican pointed out that Ms. Clinton was helping to keep ladies in the kitchen?
Also, it’s Democrats, not Republicans that are preventing women from getting more flexible hours at work:
Ask almost any working woman what the toughest part of her life is, and she’ll say the complications of scheduling both work and family life. What makes that task so tough is a dusty piece of legislation called the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act, which requires that hourly workers who put in more than 40 hours a week get overtime. Some women like overtime. But in a 1995 poll, an extraordinary 81% said they’d prefer compensatory time off. Put another way, many women would like to pack 45 hours into the first four days of work, then knock off early on Friday to catch Jimmy’s soccer match.
The mod term for this is “flex time” and Democrats pay it lip service. But what the left won’t mention–and Republicans have failed to mention–is that Democrats are the obstacle to changing the overtime law. Organized labor likes the 40-hour-week law, and union leaders prefer to be the ones to arrange any flex-time agreements on behalf of their members. So in 1997, when Republican Sen. John Ashcroft put forward legislation to allow flexible scheduling in the private workforce, it was Democrats, at the beck of unions, who killed it.
Sure, these issues are important to me, at least the second one is. Women who marry up economically should have to pay taxes at the higher rate. The same goes for men who marry up economically. And as women make up more and more of college populations and make more of a drive into the workforce, we’re going to see those inequalities even out.
Unless, of course Republicans remain in power with the same anti-reproductive rights stand that they’ve been taking for the last 34 years. Unintended pregnancies and unwanted babies severely curtain women’s ability to get ahead in the workforce, flex-time or no.
Five Whole Years!
August 31, 2007
Today is the five-year anniversary of the night that Andy and I first kissed. We were walking back to our dorm together from a beginning of year party on North Campus at Pomona when he stopped me on the baseball diamond and asked — suave but a little nervous — if he could get to first base by first base. Way too cute to say “no.”
I had no idea at that point that I was about to embark on a challenging and satisfying journey that has taken us through three states, a year of commuter love and countless challenges. We’ve grown up together and stood by one another through huge obstacles — ill-fitting jobs, unemployment, injuries and illnesses. And we’re sure that there are more difficulties to come, but also many joys.
My mother always told me that, if you must get married, at least marry someone you’d want by your side if you were fighting your way through hell. I can’t think of anyone who fits that description better than Andy.
Happy Anniversary, baby.
Will the Mariners Ever Win When it Counts?
August 30, 2007
Andy and I were at the game with Mark and Megan on Tuesday night. The Mariners scored five runs quickly in the bottom of the first and we thought, “game’s in the bag.” Then Jeff Weaver and the entire bullpen blew the lead and we would up losing 10-6.
About halfway through the game, it was like the air got sucked out of the stadium. Nobody was cheering. Nobody was even invested in the game anymore. Mark turned to me and said, “Mariners fans suck!”
We kind of do. But that’s because we’re so used to being disappointed by our sports teams that we never fully invest our emotions in their seasons anymore. It’s kind of like someone who has been unlucky in love so many times that they just can’t seem to tear down the walls enough to let Mr. or Ms. Right in.
I’m not completely immune to that sentiment, although I’m loud and obnoxious at ballgames right until the last out. It’s not over till it’s over.
But I am beginning to wonder if the Mariners are ever going to deliver us our post-season dreams. Until Tuesday night, I though this might be the year. But if we’re going to let the Angels sweep us on our home turf, I don’t think this is the team.
When a President Points Guns at His People
August 29, 2007
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Who is this police officer pointing his weapon at?
a. an angry mob
b. some school children
c. a group of peaceful protesters
d. all of the above
Answer after the jump.
Read more
Today’s Intelligent Design: “Sneaky Deep” Conversion Strategy of the Christian Right
August 29, 2007
There’s something you don’t know about me. When I was in high school, I was taught…intelligent design. But this wasn’t anything like the pseudo-scientific flim flam being passed off today in courts and school districts around the country. It was a decent, honest attempt to reconcile science with belief in God.
Mrs. DuPen, our beloved biology teacher at Holy Names, had a banner posted above the white board of our freshman biology classroom. It read, “The likelihood that the universe was created by accident is equal to the likelihood that the Oxford English Dictionary was created by an explosion in a print shop.”
We weren’t taught that evolution contradicted the idea of God as creator. Rather, we were encouraged to investigate empirical matters scientifically while allowing ourselves private beliefs where matters of faith were concerned. It was a wonderful way to teach science while respecting religion, and I do understand evolution very well. My own personal reconciliation of evolution and faith–one that I shared with many of my classmates–was that God set evolution in motion because God was wise and knew that this was the best way to create vibrant, healthy, thriving species.
If we are to allow for the possibility of God in American science classrooms, I would suggest Mrs. DuPen’s method as the way to do it. But the current intelligent design movement isn’t about allowing for the possibility of God. It’s about converting a generation of American children to Christianity.
If Evangelical Christians were really only concerned with the idea of intelligent design, then they would adhere to the 1987 Supreme Court decision that creationism could not be taught alongside evolution because it disobeyed the Constitution by promoting a specific faith in public schools. They would simply fight for the allowance of the possibility of God and leave the matters of specific faith or non-belief up to individual children and their families.
Instead, they are continually working against their own political interests by trying to advance a “sneaky deep” message about the rightness of only one religion: theirs. This is all part of the larger goal of converting the entire world to their particular way of believing.
I’ve been thinking and reading a great deal about doctrinal fundamentalism–both religious and social–lately. I have come to the conclusion that it is one of the biggest threats to the future of humanity. Any ideology which leaves no room for doubt, variation or individual conscience cannot be allowed to impose itself on a democratic system of governance. Such an eventuality would be an assault upon human dignity and liberty.
links for 2007-08-29
August 28, 2007
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Looks like the pro-occupation side of things is finally getting a taste of their own medicine. I remember when the networks were refusing to run messages from the other side of the spectrum.
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Our culture does some really shitty stuff to women, our bodies and our sexuality. It really bothers me.
Take Me Out to the Ballgame!
August 28, 2007
Andy and I are going to the Mariners game this evening with some friends. Will you be there? Text me at (206)-229-9335 if you’re at Safeco field.
Listen to me Blather Endlessly about Facebook
August 28, 2007
If you’re not doing anything around noon PST today, consider listening to me as a guest on The Mediasphere. I’ll be talking with Tris Hussey and Jim Turner about Facebook, the Web Community Forum and lots of other cool stuff.
Please feel free to call in live and grill me relentlessly. The number is (646) 478-5023.
UPDATE: If you missed it here’s the link to the interview I did.
On Launching the Web Community Forum
August 28, 2007
It’s been a hectic past week. Last week, my company circled the wagons and decided to pull the plug on an event that we’d been working relentlessly on for months. It was a tough decision, but ultimately an exciting one because we’re now launching a conference we’ve all wanted to do for some time:
The first meeting of the Web Community Forum this December will focus on Facebook: its strengths, its weaknesses and its applications as a tool for community building. We hope to come away with some tentative best practices to propose to the larger community for discussion, debate and thorough criticism.
I’m very excited to be involved with this event. The other day, Steve turned to me and said, “we’re actually doing it. We’re doing a Facebook conference!” and it finally sunk in for me that we were doing what we’d been discussing for months. It was a giddy moment.
I’m sad to say goodbye to the Blog Business Summit, at least for now. There were a lot of speakers and sessions that had me incredibly excited. I could use a lot of terribly cliché images to describe the relationship between endings and beginnings. But I’ll skip those platitudes. I’ve got a LOT of work to do.
links for 2007-08-28
August 27, 2007
Goodbye Gonzales
August 27, 2007
Facing a special investigation related to his role in a series of Justice Department firings and the illegal warrant-less wiretapping programming, Alberto Gonzales handed in his resignation today.
Bush defended Gonzales, and said he was “sad that we live in a time when a talented and honorable person” is impeded from doing their job. He was also disappointed that Gonzales’ “good name was dragged through the mud for political reasons.”
Gonzales is the most recent casualty in a long line of Bush cronies who have fall into serious disrepute and left the administration: Libby, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Bremer, Rove, and even the previously highly-esteemed Colin Powell.
Gonzales fell out of favor with Congress after he failed to recall extremely obvious details from meetings, contradicted his own testimony, and refused to answer questions without giving reasons under oath at Senate hearings.
It is unclear yet who follow Gonzales as attorney general, and Bush has said he will do what it takes to find somebody with the exact same qualifications as Gonzales, even if he “has to search every amnesia ward in the America.”
Cheney Wants To Invade Iran With Imaginary Army
August 26, 2007
Dick Cheney continues to push for “decisive military action” with Iran before the end of Bush’s Presidency. Cheney considers the 2003 authorization to invade Iraq sufficient to extend to an invasion of Iran. I respect that George W. Bush, at this point, is aware that Iraq is not going to well. In fact, he’s now comparing it to Vietnam, formerly the most unpopular war in history, in order to gain SUPPORT for Iraq. I also respect that Bush, apparently unlike Cheney, does not have faith in the 4th Branch of our military.
The other three branches of our military, the Army, Navy, and AirForce, are too tied up in Iraq right now to invade anything bigger than Amsterdam. So it seems that Cheney plans to use the fourth branch of our military for the War in Iran. That would be the Imaginary Branch.
Since we don’t have enough troops to get the job done in Iraq, that’s pretty much all we have to use against Iran. Unless we re-institute a draft. Which is what Cheney and FOX News are really saying when they talk about war with Iran. Re-instituted a draft, making a truly massive US Military, and being the singular dominant force in the world.
So please, ignore all the crap on the news about how “scary” Iran is.
Richardson The ONLY* Candidate Speaking Intelligently On Religion
August 25, 2007
“I pray. I’m a Roman Catholic. My sense of social justice, I believe, comes from being a Roman Catholic. But, in my judgment, prayer is personal.
And how I pray and how any American prays, for what reason, is their own decision. And it should be respected.”
Wow. Religion does not belong in politics. I remember back when religion was supposed to be a private matter, and even Republicans said that the government should stay out of the bedroom. Very well put Richardson, especially in contrast to the other politician’s positions when asked about how religion should affect politics:
Hillary: “Prayer is a big part of my faith.” Wow, what an ambigious statement.
Bush: “God choose me to be President.”
Edwards: “God is awesome and loves everyone, Except gays.”
Obama: “Prayer is a very, very, very public part of my life.”
Romney: “I swear to God I’m not really a Mormon. Look over there.”
Fred Thompson: “I don’t have to answer any questions, I’m not running for President (yet).”
Guiliani: “Who’s this God fellow I keep hearing about.”
Dick Cheney: “GO TO HELL!!”
* The only candidate I’ve heard speak about religion intelligently. If you have heard another candidate say something intelligent about religion, please comment.
links for 2007-08-25
August 24, 2007
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Scientists have been able to trigger “out of body” experiences in people by expanding on the “rubber hand” phenomenon. This experiment gives us new information about how we construct our “body map” or our idea of where our bodies are.
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The fabulous Jon Stewart takes us through America’s foreign policy contributions to the Middle East.
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Future Majority’s alicescheshirecat has some great insights into the importance of volunteers in politics. She posits that campaigns could succeed beyond measure if they treated their volunteers as well as their treasure.
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Bush is in town raising money for Dave Reichert and Darcy Burner is holding a town hall discussion about Iraq with Joe Wilson. If you are tired of the Iraq war and want to bring our troops home, it might be a good idea to come to this thing and throw some
Bush’s “History Boys” Legacy Continues with Faulty Japan Comparison
August 24, 2007
President Bush has been grasping at historical straws as he tries to reverse the trend of flagging support for his Iraq war. Let’s just have a look at the reaction by one historian to Bush’s use of his analysis of Post WWII Japan as a parallel to Iraq:
They’re desperately groping for a historical analogy, and their uses of history are really perverse…
In the case of Iraq, the administration went in there without any of the kind of preparation, thoughtfulness, understanding of the country they were going into that did exist when we went into Japan. Even if the so-called experts said we couldn’t do it, there were years of mid-level planning and discussions before they went in. They were prepared. They laid out a very clear agenda at an early date.
I’d like to add to this point that Japan is a racially, ethnically and religiously homogeneous society. It’s a lot easier to bring democracy to people when they all consider themselves one people.
Do you see any parallels between Iraq and Japan? Or is Bush just trying to find yet another meaningless justification for a failed policy?
