11/30/2007
Blasphemous Bear
The Sudan, long known for its humanitarian accomplishments has decided that one of the most commonly used male names in the world is offensive. Well, its offensive in some cases, even though its the same name as many men in their country. Even though its the same name as their prophet, even though it was applied by a 7 year old. And yes, even though that seven year old applied the name to a beloved teddy bear being used as a teaching aid. But, because some dimwit decided it was offensive, and because religious proclivities are allowed to dictate speech and expression.
People think it can't happen here, but we do have our own would be theocrats, and they need to be stopped.
Labels: and you thought america was bad, mucking forons, religion, society, the powers that shouldn't be
11/28/2007
Sad
How Can We Raise Awareness In Darfur Of How Much We're Doing For Them?
The saddest thing about this video is that I can picture it being acted out in earnest by our mainstream media.
11/25/2007
The Manliest Opponent
Amazing. Of all the teams the Patriots have played and beaten this year, the Philadelphia Eagles are by far the best men. They may not have a monopoly on talent, but they do have the market cornered on sheer mental toughness and determination. The refusal to be intimidated, and the bloody minded refusal to be run over combined well with the absolute integrity it takes to play until the last second of the game. Plain and simple; If you have to get beaten, get beaten on the field and not in the locker room.
Labels: psychology, role models, sports
11/24/2007
Brazil's new Sex Ed Program
Brazil's new sex education program is drawing international attention. Unlike us programs where confused teens are led enmasse into the confusing world of reproductive issues, Brazil has developed a novel approach that reverses the odds and gives twenty to twenty eight instructors per student. One young lady who wishes to be identified as only L.A.B. was so overwhelmed with emotion she is quoted as saying "I screamed and screamed".
Curious parties asked if there was a similar program available for young men and were directed to the abundance of Catholic Churches.
Labels: and you thought america was bad, mucking forons, society, the powers that shouldn't be
11/20/2007
A man i will not vote for...
11/19/2007
Holy Howling Hinterland of Reality Batman!
What the hell is wrong with Homo Sapiens Sapiens? Especially the subspecies known as Americana? Really. People positively idolize winning. It's not quite a tame enough veneration to be called an obsession, it's probably something on the far side of pathological fixation. Except of course when it fails to be fun to be a fan of the opposition to the great team or player. As is the case with the now 10-0 New England Patriots. Here we run into that pervasive, and probably unbreechable cleft in the mental wanderings of the average humanoid. On one hand we have the desire to praise them. On the other is the urge to tear them down because we don't like seeing 'our' team lose. We see people complain that people are paid way too much to play a game, and that they don't play hard enough. Then, when one of those odd and startling confluences of great players all arrive on the same team and they do all play at their best, and hardest, well, one of my least favorite concepts is introduced. The unhealthy, unrealistic, anti entropic and unAmerican desire for parity in competitive fields. Right now, across the nation nitwits and naifs are running their mouths and fingertips to create drivel that will mostly go unchallenged and all of it will be complaining about the Patriots players doing their jobs. Doing ones duty, self imposed, paid for by an employer or imposed by some outside entity is the mark of a responsible person. Doing it when you can coast by with little or no effort at the best of your ability is among the highest criterion for integrity.
Labels: mucking forons, society, sports
11/18/2007
It's not the club, it's the hand holding it.
Human beings, being human beings and loathing genuine self examination will always seek to shift the blame. There's a story about a girl who committed suicide after a cyber friend told her that she wasn't a nice person and didn't want to be friends anymore. It turns out that this was done via a social networking site. The people behind the "prank" were the adult family of a former friend of the girl who hung herself a day after she found out that her new friend didn't want to talk to her anymore. The girl, all of thirteen with known emotional issues, had been to lead to believe that the cyber friend was a cute boy her age and had recently moved to the neighboring town. This went on for some time.
So we have two, possibly three separate issue here:
1) A girl with mental health issues who wasn't able to be saved.
2) Adults who feel that it is a socially acceptable use of their time to manipulate a child.
What is not a problem is the tool used to achieve this. One of the comments I saw was by someone blaming a certain well known social networking site the Internet in general. The comment, which I don't feel the need to attach any descriptors to what-so-ever went on to blame the Internet and the SNS for; pedophiles, perverts, bullies and a plethora of other ill behavior types.
Remember boys and girls, before the Internet:
There was no rape, there was no murder, sex was unknown except in the bounds of socially acceptable marriages, teen sex never happened at all, pedophiles were a thing much like unicorns; oft talked about but never seen, the lion laid down with the lamb and of course there were no bullies because everyone treated each other with love and respect.
At twelve I was severely confused by the ability of people to blame the club and not the club wielder, at fourteen after having put the issue aside for a time and reexamining it I was aghast. Now, I wish I could call myself jaded, but I'm pretty certain I left that label behind a long time ago.
Labels: mucking forons, psychology, society
