Attitude

One of the things I really like about the prism metaphor is the idea that there is not one pure color, but many - that there are many dimensions to each situation, or many sides to each story. I'm realistic enough to know that some things just suck not matter what, but I also believe you can decide how much of your energy to devote to each of the various dimensions. You can obsess about the negative ones in a destructive, self-defeating manner or try to enjoy the positives. You can't always control what happens, but you can control your reaction to it. That doesn't mean you repress or deny so called negative emotions like anger, but you don't have to get stuck in them either.

To Find Happiness, Try These Exercises

Psychological research shows that simple mental games can help people be happier.

As a motivational speaker and executive coach, Caroline Adams Miller knows a few things about using mental exercises to achieve goals.

But last year, one exercise she was asked to try took her by surprise.

Every night, she was to think of three good things that happened that day and analyze why they occurred. That was supposed to increase her overall happiness.

“I thought it was too simple to be effective,” said Miller, 44, of Bethesda, Md. “I went to Harvard. I’m used to things being complicated.”

Miller was assigned the task as homework in a master’s degree program. But as a chronic worrier, she knew she could use the kind of boost the exercise was supposed to deliver.

She got it.

“The quality of my dreams has changed, I never have trouble falling asleep and I do feel happier,” she said.

Results may vary, but the exercise is one of several that have shown preliminary promise in recent research into how people can make themselves happier — not just for a day or two, but long-term. . . .

Not the Best Quiz I've Ever Taken, But . . .

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Dedicated Reader You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more.
Literate Good Citizen
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
Book Snob
Fad Reader
Non-Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Create Your Own Quiz

Of Learning and Teaching

I remember one time sitting in class--middle school science, maybe, but the specifics are fuzzy--and thinking to myself, "If our goal is to learn about the world, why do we spend all day sitting inside windowless rooms reading and talking about it instead of outside experiencing it?"

When my family visited Washington D.C. when I was in college, I spent most of an entire day at the Museum of Natural History, wishing I had more time both for it and for the rest of the Smithsonian. I remember having the thought that a family could spend a good week, if not more, using those museums as a curriculum instead of textbooks.

And when I was doing my library media practicum hours and spending my first significant time in an elementary school as an adult, I was struck by just how much of what we teach kids is to wait their turn. Sit quietly until the teacher gets to them. Stand in line until everyone behaves. I would guess the average student spends as much time waiting around as being taught, and then much of that teaching treats the child as a passive recipient instead of an active learner.

So if I were ever to homeschool my kids, my rationale wouldn't be too dissimilar from the parents in this article. I think homeschool children do miss a lot by not having the same socialization and cultural experiences as their peers, but the potential exists for a much better education at home. I wouldn't do it unless I had the time, money, and energy to do it right (which means it probably won't ever happen), but it's a thought.

As the number of children who are home-schooled grows — an estimated 1.1 million nationwide — some parents like Ms. Walter are opting for what is perhaps the most extreme application of the movement’s ideas. They are “unschooling” their children, a philosophy that is broadly defined by its rejection of the basic foundations of conventional education, including not only the schoolhouse but also classes, curriculums and textbooks. . . .

Adherents say the rigidity of school-type settings and teacher-led instruction tend to stifle children’s natural curiosity, setting them up for life without a true love of learning.

“When you think about it, the way they do things in school is mostly for crowd control,” said Karen Tucker, a mother of three boys who is an unschooler . . .

Stop!

I’m guessing this was written before the elections since it doesn’t really take our purpling into account, but it does demonstrate what’s happened to Kansas’ national reputation. Plus it’s funny.

Kansas Outlaws Practice Of Evolution

TOPEKA, KS—In response to a Nov. 7 referendum, Kansas lawmakers passed emergency legislation outlawing evolution, the highly controversial process responsible for the development and diversity of species and the continued survival of all life.

"From now on, the streets, forests, plains, and rivers of Kansas will be safe from the godless practice of evolution, and species will be able to procreate without deviating from God's intended design," said Bob Bethell, a member of the state House of Representatives. "This is about protecting the integrity of all creation."

The new law prohibits all living beings within state borders from any willful adaptation to changing environmental conditions. In addition, it strictly limits any activity that may result in enhanced health or survival beyond the current average lifespan of their particular species. . . .

Aaaaaahhh . . . Winter

What a beautiful morning! I'm sure I'll be sick of the cold soon enough, but the weather's refusal to change seasons lately has had me feeling out of balance. This is much better.

Community

Amidst all my hifalutin' ranting and frustrated abstract tirades, it's good to have a reminder every now and then of what we can actually affect. Once again, Terry Pratchet has brought the message home to me in A Hat Full of Sky:

That was true. People didn't respect Miss Level. They liked her, in an unthinking sort of way, and that was it. Mistress Weatherwax was right, and Tiffany wished she wasn't.

"Why did you and Miss Tick send me to her, then?" she said.

"Because she likes people," said the witch, striding ahead. "She cares about 'em. Even the stupid, mean, drooling ones, the mothers with the runny babies and no sense, the feckless and the silly and the fools who treat her like some kind of a servant. Now that's what I call magic--seein' all that, dealin' with all that, and still goin' on. It's sittin' up all night with some poor old man who's leavin' the world, taking away such pain as you can, comfortin' their terror, seein' 'em safely on their way . . . and then cleanin' 'em up, layin' 'em out, making 'em neat for the funeral, and helpin' the weeping widow strip the bed and wash the sheets--which is, let me tell you, no errand for the fainthearted--and stayin' up the next night to watch over the coffin before the funeral, and then going home and sitting down for five minutes before some shouting angry man comes bangin' on your door 'cuz his wife's havin' difficulty givin' birth to their first child and the midwife's at her wits' end and then getting up and fetching your bag and going out again. . . . We all do that, in our own way, and she does it better'n me, if I was to put my hand on my heart. That is the root and heart and soul and center of witchcraft, that is. The soul and center!" Mistress Weatherwax smacked her fist into her hand, hammering out her words. "The . . . soul . . . and . . . center!"

Echoes came back from the trees in the sudden silence. Even the grasshoppers by the side of the track had stopped sizzling.

"And Mrs. Earwig," said Mistress Weatherwax, her voice sinking to a growl, "Mrs. Earwig tells her girls it's about cosmic balances and stars and circles and colors and wands and . . . and toys, nothing but toys!" She sniffed. "Oh, I daresay they're all very well as decoration, somethin' nice to look at while you're workin', somethin' for show, but the start and finish, the start and finish, is helpin' people when life is on the edge. Even people you don't like. Stars is easy, people is hard."

I've rarely run across such a clear explication of what I feel is one of the central passages of the gospel:

Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:34-40)

As an analytical introvert, it's easy for me to get excited about academic social theory and social ethics, play around with the world of ideas and think I know which ones are best. The hard part is personalizing that on a daily basis. But it's what really matters.

I Like This Guy

From an interview with Vermont senator-elect Bernie Sanders:

Mother Jones: What's your first-100-days agenda?

Bernie Sanders: The first thing I want to do is to force reality onto the floor of the Senate so that we can end this stupid discussion about how great the American economy is. The economy is not great. The economy is a disaster for the middle class.

Second, I want to focus on an issue that is almost never talked about on the floor — that is the power of big money. What are the moral implications? What do these people do when they have tremendous amounts of money? They use that money to perpetuate their own wealth and their own power. Every day, Congress works on behalf of big-money interests.

Third, I want to take a look at some of the good things that are being done around the rest of the world that are almost never discussed in the United States. How often is it discussed that the American people work the longest hours of any industrialized country in the world? The two-week paid vacation is almost a thing of the past; meanwhile in Europe you get four to six weeks vacation, and maternity leave with pay. We don't know about these things. I want to take a look around the world and see what workers are receiving, and compare that to the United States — from an educational point of view.

Not Just Politics

Some people may be in denial about the fact, but I don't think it's any big secret that big business does everything it can to buy politicians so that laws and policies go their way. But did you know they're also doing everything they can to buy teachers? According to this article, the company that made An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore's documentary about global warming, decided to give 50,000 DVDs of the film to the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) for educators to use in their classrooms. But the NSTA turned the gift down because they were too worried about upsetting Exxon Mobil and the other big corporations that give them lots of money. They like the free textbooks and lesson plans they get, even if the science in them is rather shoddy. Excerpts from the article:

Still, maybe the NSTA just being extra cautious. But there was one more curious argument in the e-mail: Accepting the DVDs, they wrote, would place "unnecessary risk upon the [NSTA] capital campaign, especially certain targeted supporters." One of those supporters, it turns out, is the Exxon Mobil Corp. . . .

In the past year alone, according to its Web site, Exxon Mobil's foundation gave $42 million to key organizations that influence the way children learn about science, from kindergarten until they graduate from high school.

And Exxon Mobil isn't the only one getting in on the action. Through textbooks, classroom posters and teacher seminars, the oil industry, the coal industry and other corporate interests are exploiting shortfalls in education funding by using a small slice of their record profits to buy themselves a classroom soapbox.

NSTA's list of corporate donors also includes Shell Oil and the American Petroleum Institute (API), which funds NSTA's Web site on the science of energy. There, students can find a section called "Running on Oil" and read a page that touts the industry's environmental track record -- citing improvements mostly attributable to laws that the companies fought tooth and nail, by the way -- but makes only vague references to spills or pollution. NSTA has distributed a video produced by API called "You Can't Be Cool Without Fuel," a shameless pitch for oil dependence. . . .

An API memo leaked to the media as long ago as 1998 succinctly explains why the association is angling to infiltrate the classroom: "Informing teachers/students about uncertainties in climate science will begin to erect barriers against further efforts to impose Kyoto-like measures in the future." . . .

Green or Mean?

What goes for individuals goes double for organizations: self-interest trumps concern for the common good. Policy should reflect that, as described nicely in this Mother Jones article about corporations and the environment:

. . . Helping corporations do the right thing through regulation—which, it should be noted, also levels the playing field so that a greenish BP doesn’t have to worry about a dirty Exxon­Mobil—is not exactly a new idea. It’s more or less what we used to do, in the long period from Teddy Roosevelt and the trustbusters on to about the 1980s.

One reason for the shift is the enormous political power of corporations, which they use almost exclusively to boost their own profits. But in a way, you can’t blame them for that. The strange part is how little opposition the corporate agenda meets anymore—how many of us have accepted the ideological argument that as long as we leave commerce alone, it will somehow, magically, solve all our problems. We could compel Big Oil to take its windfall profits and build windmills; instead we stand quietly by, as if unfettered plunder were the obvious and necessary course.

Explaining this mystery may bring us back to where we started. In the childlike enchantment we’ve lived under since the Reagan era, we’ve wanted very much to believe that someone else, some wavy-haired ceo, would do the hard, adult work of problem-solving. In fact, corporations are the infants of our society—they know very little except how to grow (though they’re very good at that), and they howl when you set limits. Socializing them is the work of politics. It’s about time we took it up again.

Knowledge Is Power

Another Pratchett quote from A Hat Full of Sky:

"Well, couldn't you help him by magic?"
"I see to it that he's in no pain, yes," said Miss Level.
"But that's just herbs."
"It's still magic. Knowing things is magical, if other people don't know them."

And thus our rationale for why doctors and lawyers and such get paid more money than the rest of us, not so much for what they can do, but because of what they know.

Addendum

I was thinking about adding an additional Jungle thought as a post, but it just came out in a discussion with Gobula in the comments. I may have read writers who are more accomplished in their use of language or who are more polished as storytellers, but this book ranks higher in my opinion because it was meant to do something. Most books try to capture or reflect the world, this one tried to change it. That is the ultimate use of literature, writing, and all communication, in my book.

Even If It's Not My Fault, It's My Responsibility

I'm currently listening to Terry Pratchet's A Hat Full of Sky, the second book about aspiring witch Tiffany Aching and the tiny but fierce Nac Mac Feegle. I've not read nearly as much Pratchet as many of you fellow goblins, but one of the things I enjoy about him is the way he weaves humor and truths together. He's able to both be observant and do so from a skewed perspective. So there's nothing particularly unique or profound about the quotes that follow, but after listening to them in the car I felt the need to grab the book and reread them.

Witches didn't fear much, Miss Tick had said, but what the powerful ones were afraid of, even if they didn't talk about it, was what they called "going to the bad." It was too easy to slip into careless little cruelties because you had power and other people hadn't, too easy to think other people didn't matter much, too easy to think that ideas like right and wrong didn't apply to you. At the end of that road was you drooling and cackling to yourself all alone in a gingerbread house, growing warts on your nose.

A nicely succint description of the way privilege and power can corrupt, that.

Bits of Miss Tick's teachings floated through [Tiffany's] head: Always face what you fear. Have just enough money, never too much, and some string. Even if it's not your fault, it's your responsibility. Witches deal with things. Never stand between two mirrors. Never cackle. Do what you must do. Never lie, but you don't always have to be honest. Never wish. Especially don't wish upon a star, which is astronomically stupid. Open your eyes, and then open your eyes again.

The world would be a much better place if more people adopted that as their credo, "Even if it's not my fault, it's my responsibility."

Literary Finale

I just left two final posts on The Jungle blog if you've been following. Then I guess it's time for another book.

Truth in Advertising

Road trip?

Gaming Research

Since I'm chair of the gaming committee and all, I figured I should check out Grand Theft Mario:

Iowa State????

If KU wins next weekend, all three area teams will finish the season with 7-5 records.

TMI

One of the least pleasant aspects of running a half-marathon in the cold: nipple chafing. And the shower after burns!

Random Geek Thought

Why is Superman always depicted with bulging leg muscles? Wouldn't they basically be out of shape since he flies everywhere?

Disclaimer

If you read this blog with any kind of frequency, you will likely begin to notice some of my convictions coming through in what I select to post. Sometimes these are positive proclamations of where I stand, but often they take the shape of criticisms of those with whom I disagree. And while I generally try to be understanding and avoid being overly mocking, I'm sure sometimes I can seem contemptuous and condescending. But you should understand that much of the disdain that comes through is really frustration with my own hypocrisy. I may have some passionate beliefs, but I feel that I turn very few of them into meaningful action. So if it seems I'm judging others a bit harshly, realize that I judge my own inaction even more so.

First, a few general things from the MBTI descriptions I posted:

INTJs are perfectionists, with a seemingly endless capacity for improving upon anything that takes their interest. What prevents them from becoming chronically bogged down in this pursuit of perfection is the pragmatism so characteristic of the type: INTJs apply (often ruthlessly) the criterion "Does it work?" to everything from their own research efforts to the prevailing social norms.(1)

I set very high standards for myself.(2) (and)

Perceived futility can make you shut down, and you will suffer intense feelings of failure if your end product is not "perfect." A good supervisor will give you praise for all successes. A bad one will only add to your stress by pointing out problems you already know about for which you are probably already punishing yourself.(3)

Next, a bit of theory: I don't have a reference to share, but in one of my social ethics classes the professor was talking about the civil rights movement. She mentioned a prominent thinker who had said that for white Americans to truly help black Americans, they need to deny their whiteness. This doesn't mean we should act color blind and deny the way our racial backgrounds inform our identities (ala Stephen Colbert), but that we should make every effort to abandon the inherent privilege that comes from being white in our society. It’s not enough to simply “do no harm.” You can be a perfectly nice person who never does anything overtly racist, yet still unwittingly contribute to the problem. The oppression is systemic, is a part of our societal structures and shapes our interactions whether we want it to or not. There are certain advantages that white people are simply born into, advantages that people of color don’t have access to. Unless we take steps to actively change the system, it will continue to perpetuate itself. One of the fundamental first steps is to refuse to accept the privileges we are handed and instead live and work in solidarity with those whom the system oppresses.

I used race as a way of introducing the concept, but the idea applies across the board. So I suppose the most authentic way to address class, for instance, would be to donate all of your money and live with next to nothing, but I don’t think you have to be that radical. You just need to take the time to make very conscientious decisions about your dealings with money so that your financial advantages don’t come at the expense of others. Consider how you make your money and where you spend it. There are many different levels of action. It can be as everyday as a man not taking the easy route to hang out watching football on Thanksgiving while all the women work in the kitchen. The point is to not just accept what’s given you but to take action to change things since they won’t change themselves, and the person with the privilege in the dynamic is the one with the power to do something about it.

So that’s the standard I hold myself to, and I generally find myself wanting. I’m liberal to the point of being socialist, yet enjoy a consumer capitalist lifestyle. I feel we are destroying the environment, yet do next to nothing to curb my energy consumption, don’t bother to recycle because it’s too much bother, and produce massive amounts of trash/waste. I have a religious degree and strong convictions, but am not active in a church. I believe it’s important to educate the poor, yet work in a suburb. Instead of using some of my free time to volunteer somewhere, I take advantage of having the luxury to escape reality through activities like D&D and exorbitant exercise. About my only redeeming practice is that I work in a non-profit, helping profession. Beyond that I feel I do almost nothing to try to change the systemic problems to which I contribute.

So if sometimes I seem severe in what I choose to point out on this blog, realize that the impetus is disappointment with my own laziness-induced impotence to do anything about it.

It's About Time

I finally got around to writing up my thoughts on the last third of The Jungle. There hasn't been much real dialogue about the book, so stop by and leave a comment. Or, even better, give it a read and add your own contributions.

Getting to Know Me

Recently The Girl In Black took a Star Trek quiz based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). It's been a few years since I've taken it, but the last time I did I scored as an INTJ, same as her, and it still rings true. So here are a selection of in-depth descriptions you can use to get to know me better (follow the links for even more; I've tried to copy less than half of each).

First, the Star Trek one:

. . . You respond best to other people's needs when they tell you about them clearly. You value honesty greatly and you're excellent at employing constructive criticism. You prize people who listen to you and respect your ideals. You are somewhat contemptuous of those who don't pay attention to what you say and extremely contemptuous of those who can't do their jobs well.

Goals
Your primary goal in life is achieving independence and being able to live according to your own standards. Your reward is continual expansion of your competence and knowledge.

Work
You are almost completely project-driven. Though you won't work against your fundamental principles, the current job before you can consume pretty much all other considerations. You will perform all-out for a superior you respect, but you have a sometimes unfortunate tendency to let bosses know when they've lost your admiration, or when you disagree with them. . . .

Relationships
Social skills may be your undoing, especially making small talk at parties or flirting with strangers. You feel everything very deeply, so you've learned to keep what you feel to yourself. This combination can alienate people instantly and even make stubborn suitors give up in frustration. . . .

This one is cool because it presents the type from a first person perspective:

. . . I am naturally organized, structured, and analytical. If a project enters my mind it immediately assumes the form of its pieces, its basic structure, and what order—first, next, last—it will take to get it done. This isn’t something I do, it happens instantaneously without effort. Issues are multifaceted and I try to think from different perspectives, not only my perspectives but others’ too. And I’ve found it’s good to gather as many facts as I can. Sometimes there is a piece that needs to be thrown out, or maybe it’s the seed of another project. . . .

I prefer trying something, then critique after the fact. I will integrate the experience and never make the same mistakes again. . . . I set very high standards for myself, and I believe it is possible to be competent at anything and everything I set my mind to.

I keep myself very private; that’s a part of who I am. I keep people at arm’s length. They have to gain my trust and interest. People are curious about me, I think, but only the brave try to figure me out. I feel very serious, but some I meet I just like a lot, and I can be spontaneously playful. I have a sensitivity to people and can feel warm with them, although many perceive me as intimidating, aloof or annoyed, or incredibly calm and competent about everything. People say I ask them good questions, not to make the decision for them, but to help them think through things. I look for systems that will make things better, and I am very much a person who seeks fairness and equality. People are very important, and I want to help them develop the skills they need to get on in life, whatever that means for each one of them.

There’s always something to occupy my mind or attention. I must be using my mind in a purposefully creative way, pushing the envelope with the most creatively challenging thing I can do, being the originator of a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist yet. It’s a complex world, and I believe we each should develop as complex an inner life as possible with the facility to react or initiate in a wide variety of ways. . . .

. . . if the emotional piece is not well managed in my life, or not compartmentalized, work is very difficult. Chitchat is tedious. I don’t know what to say, and I figure the other person isn’t actually interested in me anyway. . . .

And this one is quite thorough:

. . . To INTJs, authority based on position, rank, title, or publication has absolutely no force. This type is not likely to succumb to the magic of slogans or buzzwords. If an idea or position makes sense to an INTJ, it will be adopted; if it doesn't, it won't, regardless of who took the position or generated the idea. As with the INTP, authority per se does not impress the INTJ. . . .

INTJs do, however, tend to conform to rules, if they are useful, not because they believe in them, or because they make sense, but because of their unique view of reality. They are the supreme pragmatists, who see reality as something which is quite arbitrary and made up. Thus it can be used as a tool - or ignored. Reality is quite malleable and can be changed, conquered, or brought to heel. Reality is a crucible for the refining of ideas, and in this sense, INTJs are the most theoretical of all types. Where an ESTP seed ideas as the pawn of reality, and INTJ sees reality as the pawn of ideas: No idea is too far-fetched to be entertained. INTJs are the natural brainstormers, always open to new concepts and, in fact, aggressively seeking them. . . .

As mates, INTJs want harmony and order in the home and in relationships. They are the most independent of all types. They will trust thier intuitions about others whem making choices of friends and mates, even in the face of contradictory evidence and pressures applied by others. The emotions of an INTJ are hard to read, and neither male nor female INTJ is apt to express emotional reactions. At times, both will seem cold, reserved, and unresponsive, while in fact INTJs are almost hypersensitive to signals of rejection from those for whom they care. . . .

INTJs are idea people. Anything is possible; everything is negotiable. Whatever the outer circumstances, INTJs are ever perceiving inner pattern-forms and using real-world materials to operationalize them. Others may see what is and wonder why; INTJs see what might be and say "Why not?!" Paradoxes, antinomies, and other contradictory phenomena aptly express these intuitors' amusement at those whom they feel may be taking a particular view of reality too seriously. INTJs enjoy developing unique solutions to complex problems.

Call Me Boris

Had to work all afternoon, then headed over to the Mill Creek trail system at Shawnee Mission Park for a twilight run (5:30-6:30; sunset at 5:06). That necessitated changing clothes in a port-a-potty, which is never the most fun, but the rest of the run was. My legs had been heavy and sore all week, so I was a bit worried they would still feel fatigued even after taking yesterday off. But as I eased into the run I quickly loosened up and settled into a nice rhythm. I had my sport radio strapped onto my arm with WHB playing the late football games and found a mentally focused zone to match my physical one. A couple miles in I worried that I was going to start tightening up as the run progressed, but it never happened. So I kept my momentum going and never stopped to take in the scenery, but I came across at least 20 deer over the course of the run. It was an out-and-back, so maybe I saw the same ones twice, but they were constant and most of them let me get within at least 10 yards before trotting off to a safer distance. They would start as dark shapes in the darkness just beside the trail that would eventually begin to take shape just before the white tail leaped out of the blackness to give them away. Almost no fear of humans. Then near the end I almost stumbled onto a pair of skunks. Luckily they began wobbling away just before I got close enough to seem really threatening, otherwise I might not have noticed them in time. I suppose deer and skunk aren't quite the same as moose and squirrel, but there was no shortage of wildlife.

Hungry?

It seems like I know someone (or two) who would like the sound of this reviewed restaraunt:

I’m a bacon-loving girl from way back when. At least once a week I cook some up for breakfast.

But even I got tired of seeing bacon, bacon, bacon in — and on — nearly every appetizer or entrée at Avenues, the Brookside restaurant that has become the darling of the neighborhood.

I ate at the restaurant three times — twice for dinner, once for lunch. Save a dish or two (the lobster and crab cakes, for example), most of the food was studded with bacon, cloaked in cheese or both. . . .

Down the Avenue

Maximum Geekage

Ever wonder what your favorite comic book hero's political affiliation would be? The Girl in Black found this excellent consideration.

(And it's worth reading the comments.)

Just to Be Clear

Cyclists who don't observe traffic laws, as the ones Hadrian has described in Columbia, are doubly bad. Not only are they stupidly risking their own necks against vehicular traffic, they put the rest of us at risk by annoying drivers. So I'm at least as upset about them as you are. But a lot of motorists seem to believe that all cyclists should get off the roads in general and stick to sidewalks and trails. In defense of us law-abiding ones, I'd like to share somthing from the Kansas License Renewal Handbook that I read while getting my license renewed yesterday:

Motorists in Kansas should expect to encounter bicyclists on all state and local roadways except for the Interstate system where bicyclists are prohibited or where prohibited by local ordinance. Please be considerate of bicyclists who have rights to the roadway. Expect bicyclists to be two feet from the right edge of the roadway or curb. When passing a bicyclist use extreme caution and pass four feet to the left of the bicyclist.

As an operator of a bicycle, the cyclist is expected to obey all traffic laws and regulations on the streets, roads, and highways of the State. However, whether the bicyclist is operating lawfully or not, give the rider the benefit of the doubt. As a motorist you should realize that the bicyclist has the same rights and responsibilities as you. Mutual respect for one another will aid in smooth, traffic flow. (page 28)

New Zealand Might Not Be the Only Option

Perhaps this news is unnecessary after Tuesday, but it's still kind of interesting:

Rebels Want to Get the "U" Out of the U.S.

. . . The First North American Secessionist Convention, billed as the first national gathering of secessionists since the Civil War, included an eclectic mix of conservatives, liberals, libertarians, left-wing Green Party zealots and right-wing Christian activists.

The bearded, denim-vested representative of the Alaskan Independence Party sat next to the United Texas Republic delegate in his gray suit and red tie, just across from the blond, pony-tailed representative of Cascadia (better known as Oregon, Washington and British Columbia).

They joined folks from such disparate groups as the League of the South, the Confederate Legion, the Free State Project, Christian Exodus, Free Hawaii, the Alliance for Democracy, the Abbeville Institute, and the Center for Democracy and the Constitution.

All agreed on one thing: their disdain for “the empire” of modern America.

The latter-day separatists inveighed against government intrusion, the influence of corporations and the loss of individual freedoms. They castigated the Patriot Act, the war in Iraq and corruption in Congress. . . .

The Morning After

We won't be able to say anything for sure until the next presidential election, but Kansas is looking almost blue. Certainly a nice shade of purple. But watching this and the last couple of elections has led me to a couple of conclusions:

We really are a nation split down the middle. Thankfully we're able to remain basically unified and civilized, but half of the population fundamentally disagrees with the other half. That's a good thing because it keeps us in balance so that we never get too extreme about anything and everyone should feel at least somewhat represented. It's a bad thing because that balance will prevent us ever having any deep, meaningful change.

Despite the fundamental differences between the people on the wings, it's the moderates who swing back and forth tipping the balance slightly one way or the other. I don't know if this is because they believe anything other than "there's gotta be someone better." They give one party power to try for a while and are unsatisfied then go the other way, back and forth. To me that's not so much a sign of belief as a perpetual state of disillusionment.

And regardless of democratic or republican power, I'm still cynical enough to think it's all ultimately controlled by who has the money. That generally means big businesses and corporations.

(Oh, and it looks like KC will be getting light rail. Interesting. Must have something to do with Hadrian leaving.)

U.S. Intelligence

I guess this only seems outrageous to me since I'm a cowardly liberal who believes in the importance of things like communication and investigation prior to resorting to violence.

. . . Marines are also under orders to shoot to kill if a vehicle crosses the "trigger line," the inside edge of the last of four security zones between the outside world and a fortification. So, a coyote asked the grunts, why would an Iraqi cross that line? "Maybe his wife's pregnant. He's trying to get her to the hospital. That happens all the time. Maybe he's just a fucking retard." The instructor offered up another example culled from experience: "Marines grab an Arabic sign. They throw it out at the blocking position thinking, 'That's a stop sign,' when in actuality it says, 'Coalition Checkpoint, Proceed With Caution.' What do you think the Iraqis do? They fucking proceed with caution, and they proceed to get lit up."

Two different instructors backed up this scenario with a stunning statistic: "Over the last 12 months or so we killed about 1,000 Iraqis at blocking positions and checkpoints," the first coyote told the grunts. "About 60--six-zero--we could demonstrate that, yeah, he was a bad guy, he was an insurgent. Six-zero out of about 1,000. So if we don't communicate what we want them to do, all we're doing is creating more enemies." The second instructor later offered up the same figures, concluding: "So obviously, 900-something innocent Iraqis have been killed. That's pretty shitty numbers, right?" . . .

Lost in Translation

Harvard, Anyone?

I guess this isn't really current news, but it's the first I've heard of it. If your family makes less than $60,000 per year, you can go to Harvard tuition-free.

Defining My Tastes

While sampling a CD on the way home from work tonight I had a minor hiccup of an epiphany for articulating my musical tastes. Chances are I'm not going to like a particular song if it can be described with the terms smooth or groove. I much prefer desriptors like percussive, herky-jerky, edge, and raw.

I Know Exercise Annoys You, Hadrian, But This?

Missouri hardly incident-free

An accident last Friday afternoon in Columbia, Missouri, was the third incident within the space of a week where a car has hit a pedestrian or cyclist.

On November 3, 18 year-old MU freshman Greg Hahn collided with a car at the intersection of Stewart and Providence roads, causing the youngster to fly through the air and land in the middle of the street. The Columbia Missourian reports that Hahn was rushed to hospital, where he was said to be in fair condition the following afternoon.

Columbia police Officer Curtis Perkins said Hahn was not wearing a helmet, not a legal requirement in the US, with the Columbia Police Department's Traffic Unit still investigating the crash. The previous Sunday, a 31 year-old male was killed while walking on Nifong Boulevard, and on the same night, 20 year-old cyclist Aurora Chamberlin was hit by a car and hospitalised as a result, reported to be in a fair condition last Saturday.

Inefficiency

Why is it that people can stand in line for 5 minutes yet still have to spend 2 more digging through their purses/wallets for their library cards when they get to the counter? Everyone's wait would be shorter if they would use their time in line to get prepared. It's so annoying when you're trying to rush people through then have to stand and wait around while they try to get organized.

Freudian?

Maybe Hadrian's latest post has caused something latent in me to rise. Someone just spelled a last name to me K-O-C-H and I still wrote kock.

"Voting God's Politics"

Jim Wallis and Sojourners have identified an alternative list of Christian core values for those of us who don't believe Jesus is a staunch Republican. Their list:

Compassion and Economic Justice
Peace and Restraint of Violence
Consistent Ethic of Life
Racial Justice
Human Rights, Dignity, and Gender Justice
Strengthen Families and Renew Culture
Good Stewardship of God’s Creation

The link's not working at the moment, but you should be able to read a brief explication of each of these in the SojoMail archive. Or you can download a more detailed discussion as a PDF of an issues guide they printed.

But, Of Course

What type of person do you attract? Your Result: You attract geeks! Your stunning intellect and love of sci-fi and video games allures the geeks like nothing else. Maybe it is the sparkle in your eye that makes them want to text you, who knows. Geeks make good partners, but tend to be arguementative. If you are a TRUE geek magnet, you will know if that was spelled correctly, and actually care. If it is a bad-boy/bad-girl you are seeking, you are barking up the wrong tree, unless they are just 'bad' behind a PS2 console.
You attract artsy people!
You attract Yuppies!
You attract unstable people!
You attract models!
You attract rednecks!
What type of person do you attract? Quizzes for MySpace

(and I'm glad to see not only the type I most attract, but also the least)

Fitting

. . . I suppose, although I like to think of myself as a bit more cynical than this.

Your distinct personality, The Dreamer-Minstrel might be found in most of the thriving kingdoms of the time. You can always see the "Silver Lining" to every dark and dreary cloud. Look at the bright side is your motto and understanding why everything happens for the best is your goal. You are the positive optimist of the world who provides the hope for all humankind. There is nothing so terrible that you can not find some good within it. On the positive side, you are spontaneous, charismatic, idealistic and empathic. On the negative side, you may be a sentimental dreamer who is emotionally impractical. Interestingly, your preference is just as applicable in today's corporate kingdoms.

Take the Kingdomality Personal Preference Profile

I'm a Lazy Blinker

A couple of weeks ago I went in for my annual eye exam so I could get another year's supply of contacts. While there I complained that I've never really been comfortable wearing my contacts because my eyes are dry. So they had me come back this morning for some testing. He gave me some eye drops and directions for stimulating the production of eye oil, and also said I need to be more deliberate in my blinking since I tend not to close my eyes fully when I do so. Strange.

Also a couple of weeks ago we noticed signs of mice--droppings around some stray dog food and our box of noodles in the basement had been munched. We put out some traps and have caught a couple. We've also seen them every so often run along the floorboard in the living room. I couldn't figure out their destination since they were going away from all food sources. Last night I finally figured out they've apparently been nesting in our main couch. Ew. We're working on catching them at the source now.

It's Not the Freaking Holiday Season

The thing that makes holidays special is that they are rare. Each one only comes once a year and you only get to enjoy it for a short time. They are supposed to stand out. It's bad enough that retailers have overcommercialized them to death by starting the "season" earlier each year, now some radio stations have already switched to 24-7 Christmas music. Blech. I refuse to acknowledge the existence of any holiday before its month.

Perspective

Like many other things, wealth is relative. There will always be those with more, and practically none of us will ever have financial freedom. Still, if you live in a developed country--even if you are poor compared to the rest of your fellow citizens--you are pretty well off when compared with the world. It's the little things that we take for granted as basics. Even the poorest U.S. residents are likely to have electricity and running water, features which are luxuries in many countries. And how many of our poor are still able to afford TVs, computers, phones, cars, video games, and the like? Anyway, just something to think about as you calculate your Global Income.

I'm the 190,434,783 richest person on earth! Discover how rich you are! >>

Lingering Questions?

Then take a look at this:

Lie by Lie: The Mother Jones Iraq War Timeline (8/1/90 - 6/21/03)

In this timeline, we've assembled the history of the Iraq War to create a resource we hope will help resolve open questions of the Bush era. What did our leaders know and when did they know it? And, perhaps just as important, what red flags did we miss, and how could we have missed them? This is the second installment of the timeline, with a focus on how the war was lost in the first 100 days.

Of course, no matter how stupid and dishonest our leaders were in creating this mess, what's done is done. The real question now is do we have any hope of emerging from Iraq with any kind of result that could be other than disastrous? I don't see how.

Torn

I suppose as a librarian I theoretically support this, but as a fan it kind of sucks.

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