Does anyone else find it amusing (I laugh so I do not cry) that both campaigns started immediately pointing fingers at each other about all the Freddie Mac and Fannie May insiders that pepper both their campaigns? Am I the only one who sees McCain’s “OMG lets stop campaigning and Read more…
The generally used definition of othering goes along like this: The belief/insistence that someone outside the group is somehow, “categorically, topologically, intrinsically, DIFFERENT.” Also, the use of this belief, the not-understandable “other,” to re-affirm the group’s “normalcy” and identity. There you go, the human history of race, sex and gender Read more…
Ok, I get it, everyone was surprised, and you all are a little freaked out. I understand that. But since a lot of my friends are Democrats I thought I’d offer some advice so you don’t join the collective stupid which is the interwebs and argue your points with a Read more…
As we watch ignore the proceedings of the Democratic National Convention, I think it is time to reflect on the nominee who could have been. I am talking about a candidate of vision, of character, of purpose. A candidate who could have been a historic first if not for the Read more…
I am not a liberal, and I don’t subscribe to the idea that George W. is a secular antichrist, my qualms about the (Iraq) war have always been of ones of tactics (i.e. letz fite stoopid) and strategy (this served the national interest how?). However, events in Georgia have made Read more…
According to Gallycat, the students riled up by the threat of Random House’s publication of the Jewel of Medina were planning little more than a publicity campaign to e-mail the publisher and news outlets and so on. Perfectly innocuous stuff in a pluralistic society. Which makes Random House look like Read more…
From the “this surprises you why?” department: Random House was going to publish a book titled The Jewel of Medina by Sherry Jones, a historical novel that features one of Mohammad’s wives, and has decided “oops, bad idea.” Quoth Random House in the Washington Post Op-Ed, “after sending out advance Read more…
UPDATE: Post is locked due to nasty flame war (hidden for your protection) His rant is here, and somewhat predictably there are responses in the blogosphere ranging from laconic bemusement by Scalzi to rhetorical dismemberment on the Feminist SF Blog. I would like to add my own little can of Read more…
Politicians love child porn. It is the ultimate grandstanding issue. It is an issue with effectively no opposing side, after all, if you come out “against” child porn you’ve implicitly cast any opposition into the role of pedophiles and child molesters. There’s no downside. Enter New York Attorney General Andrew Read more…
Historically, almost every significant economic crash has been due to one factor of the human psyche, the inability to conceive of change. Not adapt to change; we’re pretty damn good at figuring things out after the fact. Beforehand? Not so much. Entire industries collapse because of the assumption that the Read more…