The Right Way to Say It

The Trayvon situation is a terrible tragedy but I am loving the nonviolent ways that people are expressing their discontent. It doesn't distract from the crime, the loss, or the injustice. It honors the emotional weight of the situation without sacrificing the moral high ground.

Magical?

TiPb.com has a post up about why the iPad models *are* magical. I think he's got a point if you're considering "stills" of the experience instead of the whole "movie."

A commenter said the following:

One of my favorite things about iOS devices is you can take it out of the box, turn it on and it tells you how to set it up. Once the device has been synced, you literally pick it up and your good to go from the moment you turn it on. The buttons are easy enough to figure out that I knew what every single one did as soon as I got my first iPod Touch (I even figured out the double tap function for the home button)

So, here was my response to the writer and commenters:

It's odd that turning the device on and being told that you can't use it until you hook it up to a real computer, with the latest version of iTunes, is a virtue of the experience. For me, it was a giant let-down.

It has a graphic that neither grandma nor the two-year-old is likely to be able to decipher. They will need familial "tech support" for that.

With regard to their not needing tech support beyond initial set-up, that suggests that they're not doing very advanced things on the iPad. These things would be similarly simple on a pc and would not require any or much input from the family tech.

Have them start putting pictures and songs and videos and documents on the iPad. That's when the calls start coming in - when they have to add things to the pc... to add them to iTunes... to add them to the iPad.

There's something inaccurate or disingenuous about calling a device "magical" (as compared to pc's) when it's very setup and even mildly advanced features REQUIRE the use of that big, scary pc.

Customer Cheated. Media Blames Customer.

MSNBC link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29498350/from/ET/

"Woman has 911 meltdown over Nuggets"

The caption would have us believe that a woman walked into a restaurant, found out they were out of nuggets, and called 911 to complain.

What actually seems to have happened is that the woman was charged for something the restaurant (yes, a McDonald's) didn't have, but then they refused to refund her money.  When they insisted on giving her food she didn't want, INSTEAD of the money they shouldn't have taken from her in the first place, she called the police.

Sure, she called 9-1-1 instead of the non-emergency number, but I doubt most folks have memorized* the number to the local sheriff.  She probably felt that she was the victim of something akin to theft by conversion so she called the authorities.

Sounds pretty reasonable to me.  But you wouldn't know that by the media captions.

I guess I'll at least give this one credit for (apparently) getting the content right.  Too often, even the article is just as misleading as the headline.

* - or put it in their phones

Gephyrophobia

When I was a kid, I remember my father picking me up for weekend (or it could've been a weekday; I dunno) visitation, one time in-particular. While driving across a bridge, he noticed that I'd tensed up. He asked me why and I told him, "I'm kinda afraid of bridges."

He asked why, again, and I struggled to find the will and the words to express my fear that the bridge could collapse or something. His response to his seven- or eight-year-old first-born son's fear was basically to say, "That's stupid."

I felt pretty stupid, too, but I was still afraid of bridges.

Now, it's many, many years later and I've largely conquered this, gephyrophobia, an offshoot of my fear of heights (acrophobia). I still have my moments of knuckling the hell out of the steering wheel as I cross a large body of water, especially, but it's certainly manageable.

I've got other family members, though, who don't $^&* with bridges - period (almost). They drive the long way around or whatever it takes to avoid'em. In some cases, that means they don't get to leave town all that often - either because someone they really trust has to be driving for them to come NEAR a bridge.

I think that's going overboard and I'd really like to see these adults conquer their fears - to some degree, at least. (But I'm biased since I drove a bunch of hours to pick up family members and take them out-of-town, simply because no one in town was available and/or WILLING to cross the I-10 bridge!)

I try to stop short of thinking that they're "stupid," though. After all, I'm sure recent stories of collapsing bridges (in Minnesota, California, and elsewhere) just cement their decades-long phobias.

C'mon, Bambi!

I found this in AOL's video section. (Funny that they don't mind boosting from YouTube - and I certainly don't mind boosting from either of'em.)

Newscasters who crack up during a broadcast... crack me up. What they're laughing at cracks me up, too.

After you watch it, maybe you'll get the reference from my title.

Enjoy.

Duke Rape Case Accuser

Source: NPR News

An National Public Radio (NPR) news item mentions that a Raleigh, North Carolina newspaper published the name of the accuser in the Duke Rape Case. At this point, NPR refuses to publish her name. The editor's note on that webpage explains why.

I found this part particularly compelling - and not just because of the mental health implications:

"In this case, the attorney general specifically decided not to charge the accuser with perjury, or filing a false police report. He went so far as to say that his investigators told him that the woman may believe some of the stories she has been telling. He said the decision not to charge her with making false accusations was also based on a review of sealed court files, including records of the woman's mental health history."

The fact that there are no charges of perjury or filing a false police report, combined with the fact that the Duke LaCrosse players collectively refused to cooperate with the investigation, has left me suspicious of those players. While I'm not prepared to say that they're guilty, I'm certainly not prepared to go so far as to say they're innocent.

As far as I'm concerned, there's something fishy about this case and it's not just on the accuser's (or her supporters') side.

At various points it's been about assault, race, and class. Right now, I'm thinking it may be about power and class.

I freely admit, though, that I don't know that these young men broke the law. In fact, as far as the law is concerned, they are not guilty of this crime.


Questions? Comments?

Scientist is "on that Kryptonite"

Source: Yahoo News, by way of my girlfriend

No, not that "kryptonite."

Scientists unearth Superman's "kryptonite"

Mon Apr 23, 7:08 PM ET

LONDON (Reuters) - Kryptonite, which robbed Superman of his powers, is no longer the stuff of comic books and films.

A mineral found by geologists in Serbia shares virtually the same chemical composition as the fictional kryptonite from outer space, used by the superhero's nemesis Lex Luther to weaken him in the film "Superman Returns."

Interesting article, but it ended on a sour note:

But instead of the large green crystals in Superman comics, the real thing is a white, powdery substance which contains no fluorine and is non-radioactive.

Kinda disappointing, but it was still a fun story... even if they did spell Luthor's name wrong.

Job Requirement: Penis

sourc: NPR

In Largo, Florida, the city manager was fired after it was revealed that he was likely to have a sex change. Supposedly, they're only firing him because he kept it a secret, but that's b.s., in my book.

They think it's icky, so they want him out. Sadly, according to the NPR segment, there's no legal protection for employment dismissal on such grounds.

I've heard some interesting theories on how such a case could be argued, though, if the former city manager decides to appeal.

I'm sorry these close-minded people had the power to affect his life in this way.

"He speaks so well."

A number of Black Americans are offended by a non-Black person referring to any Black person as "articulate." According to many, it is an example of those back-handed compliments to which Chris Rock so humorously, but indelicately refers: "[Saying an educated man] speaks so well isn't a compliment. 'Speaks so well' is some $#!+ you say about a retarded person... that can TALK!"

So, many Blacks see it as an insult and many whites see it as a compliment. Tony Cox, of NPR's "African-American RoundTable," (read or listen here) refers to this difference of interpretation as "a cultural and linguistic divide." He compares it to the statement from times past, "You're a credit to your race."

In that same February 7th episode, Ron Christie, former Special Assistant to President George W. Bush, mentioned how he once participated in a good panel discussion, in which he was the only Black person, then watched as an audience member by-passed the white panelists to tell HIM how incredibly articulate he was.

Mr. Christie's reaction?

"I'm a lawyer, what did you expect?"

He's got a point. Mr. Christie went on to say he'd received similar reactions in the White House, during his time on-staff there.

What do you think?

Certainly poor usage can taint an otherwise useful word or group of words. And, given the examples I've heard on NPR and on Dwayne McDuffie's messageboard, I can understand how one could be offended by the phrase, at times. Still, there are times, I've been told, when there's no hidden meaning behind a statement.

I believe it was Jeff Obafemi Carr, host of the show, Freestyle, who mentioned that he's often used the word "articulate" to describe 3-year-olds he's heard using big words very well... for their age. I assume his point was that the compliment is relative to something else - in the case of his example, age.

I think that example is instructive in more ways than one, though. Perhaps someone who walks past a group of white people to the one Black person on a panel isn't saying, "You speak so well... as compared to other Black people." Instead, perhaps s/he is saying that "You speak so well... as compared to the other panelists."

Maybe I'm just so happy to get such a compliment that I'm blinded - unable to read between the lines. It's hard to say.

Your thoughts?

Snickers Didn't Satisfy

source: AOL News

"A commercial for Snickers candy bars launched in the Super Bowl broadcast was benched after its maker got complaints that it was homophobic.

The ad showed two auto mechanics accidentally kissing while eating the same candy bar and then ripping out some chest hair to do something "manly." "

Click the AOL link, above, if you'd like to see the commercial for yourself.

I've gotta say that I don't see this commercial as homophobic. If anything, it's a parody of (and, perhaps a statement about) the insecurities of American males - and over-compensation.

There's a big difference, in my opinion, between a commercial, tv show, or film that depicts homophobia and one that endorses it.

School Haze

source: Tallahassee Democrat

"Two Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity brothers at Florida A&M University, Michael Morton and Jason Harris, received two-year prison sentences on Monday for hazing fraternity pledge Marcus Jones."

This case has been a local news item for some time, now. There's been a mistrial, a hung jury, and finally, some convictions.

When I first heard about it, the case resonated with my pre-existing opinions about the practice of hazing. After I heard how severe the beating was, there was no question in my mind that the "brothers" took things too far... even if the victim was a willing participant.

"Yet a statement from Jones, read aloud by a victim advocate because he was not present, spoke of his being forced to leave FAMU because of his injuries, which required surgery, and, "I've been looked at as a snitch by my peers."

"I don't want another college student to be beaten like I was," said Jones, noting he receives counseling and has sleepless nights.

His father Mark Jones told the judge: "Marcus' life is a total wreck now. ... These individuals who want leniency tortured my son.""

It's too bad that this young man's peers see him as a snitch, despite the broader implications of this case. Besides, if I remember correctly, it was the victim's father who decided to go to court, not the victim, himself. In fact, Mr. Jones, the father, has been accused of exploiting the situation to make an easy dollar.

I don't know about that. Actually, I tend to doubt it.

Whatever the case, no one's questioning the fact that this young man's injuries were very real and very painful.

"Attorney Chuck Hobbs, who defended Morton, vowed to appeal the conviction and sentence. He said the state's hazing law is poorly written and ambiguous.

"Marcus Jones was a willing participant," he said."

See, this is a tough one, for me. In fact, it's one of the toughest parts of this case, in my opinion.

One of the reasons earlier trials were so difficult was because there were unclear definitions of "serious bodily injury," if I remember correctly. As far as I was concerned, though, injuries that require surgery EASILY qualify.

Now that I think about it a little more, I remember that my very first college roommate sported his fraternity symbols as keloidal flesh on almost a dozen parts of his body. He and others CHOSE to do this, branding themselves like cattle (or slaves), and no one called the cops on them because of it.

Maybe these no-hazing laws weren't as strict, at the time, if they existed at all, but I have to wonder what the difference is/was between the two situations?

Perhaps it's the fact that people like my roommate INTENDED to create scar tissue while the plaintiff, in this case, probably wasn't longing for the business end of an operating table.

"Race also plays a role in how black defendants like Morton and Harris are perceived, Hobbs said.

"I believe her," Hobbs said of Dekker's comment that race didn't affect her sentencing in this case." But he accused the justice system of being more permissive with white fraternity brothers and said, "This system is full of racism on a daily basis.""

That's a toughie. I can't speak to how fairly or unfairly this law has been applied, but I thought it was an interesting wrinkle.


Besides disliking it, I guess one of the main reasons I'm against hazing because it's based on an imbalance of power in favor of those who don't necessarily know when to quit. This could easily result in "serious" bodily injury.

What do you think about hazing?

Brandy - vehicular manslaughter?

Brandy may be charged with "vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence."
I hadn't heard anything about this.

People Magazine has the story.

"If convicted, the 28-year-old former Moesha star, whose full name is Brandy Norwood, could face up to one year in county jail."

It's messed-up all the way around.
I dislike the idea of Brandy going to jail, but I also hate the idea that the victim lost his life as a result of these events.

Condoned Condoms for Convicts

In a November 22nd broadcast of NPR's "News and Notes" program, the question was raised about whether condoms should be distributed within prison populations.

Most of the show's panel of guests/commentators are African-American and the show tends to lean toward stories and issues likely to be of concern or consequence to African-Americans. In this case, there's a disproportionate amount of Black people in American prisons and, I believe, there's a disproportionate amount of Black Americans, in general, who have been infected with HIV/AIDS.

In fact, as I mentioned in a previous post, Washington, DC's "secret" HIV/AIDS crisis, those who are infected with the disease, in prison, (whether through rape, consensual sex, or "sexual bartering,") are too likely to infect their wives and girlfriends, after they get out of jail.

To me, this one is a no-brainer, but some say that passing out condoms in prisons is a bad idea, for a number of reasons.

* Some believe that a given inmate won't use the condoms because that would be an acknowledgment of the fact that he's participating in homosexual activities - about which some may be in denial.
Personally, I think that, if all that **censored**in' and **censored**in' ain't a problem for him, then a rubber isn't likely to be a deal-breaker.

* Some say that passing out condoms is encouragement of "the behavior."
E.R. Shipp, in particular, disappointed me with this bass-ackwards line of thinking. She's a highly intelligent, Pulitzer-Prize (for commentating) winning journalist, but this is about saving lives, not about judging how a man should interact with another man.

* Some claim that the money used to distribute condoms would be better spent on testing and segregating infected members of the prison population.
I wish I could remember the name of the gentleman who offered this well-expressed, but disrespectful and potentially illegal alternative.

It's simple. People are getting infected with a life-threatening/fatal disease in high numbers. Some of this is due to choice and some of it is not.

We know doggone well that people are going to have sex. Whether we agree with their choice to do so or their methods of doing so, we ought to value their lives enough to decrease the risks, as much as we can.

If life's not a good enough reason, then how about money? Consider that it's probably going to cost a heck of a lot more to pay for the medical bills of an HIV/AIDS-positive population than to just distribute some rubbers.

The tests are a good idea, but you can't force people to take them. Civil rights aside, segregation isn't fool-proof, as people already-infected with the virus can be REinfected, with a different strain.

It saddens me when people allow religion, homophobia, or residual ignorance to trump the value and potential of human life.

NEWS - Smells like Snatch

In the Guy Ritchie movie "Snatch," a group of three men found themselves with the unenviable task of having to dispose of a dead body - one which, incidentally, they did not kill.

While struggling with the preliminary task of moving the corpse to a more convenient location, these men were surprised by the appearance of a white-haired, bespectacled older character named "Brick Top." Brick Top, instead of introducing himself, immediately proceeded to explain to these strangers how the challenge of disposing of a human body can be alleviated with the use of a bunch of hungry pigs.

He finishes this uninvited, mildly-perplexing, but admittedly engrossing monologue with the following warning about avoiding murderous individuals:

"...so be wary of any man who keeps a pig farm."

Having read all that, I'm sure you can understand why this AOL News story about a pig-farmer accused of murdering dozens of people, reminded me of good ol' "Snatch":

'After Pickton was arrested and the first traces of DNA from some missing women were allegedly found on the farm, the buildings were razed and the province spent an estimated $61 million to sift through soil there.
[...]
When police first visited the farm in 2002 to investigate, they found two skulls in a bucket inside a freezer in Pickton's mobile home. DNA testing identified the skulls as belonging to Abotsway and Joesbury, two missing sex workers from an impoverished Vancouver neighborhood.
[...]
Prevett said one of Joesbury's earrings was found in the slaughterhouse. He said human bones were found mixed with manure and that part of Wolfe's jaw, with five teeth still attached, was found in a pig trough.'

I'm not sure if art is imitating life or if life is imitating art, but I'll damn-sure look at pig farms differently, from now on.



For those that may be interested, here's the dialogue from that "Snatch" scene, I mentioned earlier (provided, again, by imdb.com):

"Brick Top: You're always gonna have problems lifting a body in one piece. Apparently the best thing to do is cut up a corpse into six pieces and pile it all together.
Sol: Would someone mind telling me, who are you?
Brick Top: And when you got your six pieces, you gotta get rid of them, because it's no good leaving it in the deep freeze for your mum to discover, now is it? Then I hear the best thing to do is feed them to pigs. You got to starve the pigs for a few days, then the sight of a chopped-up body will look like curry to a pisshead. You gotta shave the heads of your victims, and pull the teeth out for the sake of the piggies' digestion. You could do this afterwards, of course, but you don't want to go sievin' through pig shit, now do you? They will go through bone like butter. You need at least sixteen pigs to finish the job in one sitting, so be wary of any man who keeps a pig farm. They will go through a body that weighs 200 pounds in about eight minutes. That means that a single pig can consume two pounds of uncooked flesh every minute. Hence the expression, "as greedy as a pig"."

It's not quite the same without the visuals and British accents, so I guess you'll just have to buy your own "Snatch," now won't you?

Drinking Yourself t'Death

Apparently, drinking we can die from drinking too much water.

It's called "water intoxication" and it, combined with a radio station content, lead to the demise of a Sacramento mother.

"Drinking large quantities of water rapidly can throw off the body's balance of electrolytes, causing brain swelling and leading to seizures, coma, or even death."

AOL has the story of the woman who died after participating in that content, trying to win a Nintendo Wii for her children.