Send your kid to Hollywood!

Alicia and I were listening to the Giant Show in the morning, 96.1 fm - when the hosts were trying to make a point about parents sending their pretty kids to Hollywood instead of College. It was a funny discussion, but made absolute sense. There are plenty of pretty people without talents making millions of dollars - getting paid more than doctors and lawyers - whom are responsible for more people than themselves - yet aren't being compensated fairly.

It almost seems like a flaw with capitalism! But thats another debate!

And we wonder what's wrong with today's society and kids - they see you can easily make money off little talent, and it's smarter to think this way - since the rewards seem to be much greater!

Politikal Correct-ness

I found this article on slashdot in response to a fascinating study on why the majority of video game players are African-American, whilst only 2% of video game developers are African-Americans themselves! It's a very insightful explanation of being Politically Correct (http://games.slashdot.org/games/08/04/13/183224.shtml)

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Your link misses the entire point of the term "African American," which is not a fancy P.C. word for "black people," but a term used to identify people in a specific cultural group, with certain overall traditions, customs, and apparently gaming habits. It's come into commonplace usage because it's a unique phrase which sets that group off from other cultural, ethnic and racial groups in America. Exactly like Pennsylvania Dutch, who are called "Pennsylvania Dutch" even though they aren't really Dutch and don't all live in Pennsylvania. And, check it: someone might actually be from the Netherlands and move to Pennsylvania, oh no, what do we call them?

Regarding black Americans and the notion of "well, let's just call them black Americans." True, you could do exactly that. But how is it more accurate? I'd venture to say that there are extremely few black people who are truly "black" skinned, and lots who are on the pale side of brown. They're just called "black" by convention, even if it's not 100% precise. Furthermore, America doesn't equal the USA, it's two continents. We call USA-ians "Americans" also by convention. There's no escaping it, we're stuck using a non-precise moniker one way or another. "African American" is just one more, and happens to be the one that people generally find less offensive when compared with Negro, Afro-American and nigger. It leads one to wonder, is the constant self-righteous outrage over the term "African American" based on logic (I've argued here, no) or based upon an anger that the blacks among us have the gall to object to being called whatever the hell we feel like calling them?

To answer the parent post's question directly, obviously black people in Denmark aren't African-Americans, just like Russians aren't Poles, even if they wind up in the same country. But if by chance a black person from Denmark moves to the US and gets called African-American, it's not going to cause the universe to self-destruct. Real world categories are heuristic, not absolute.

As for the pic of Chiwetel Ejiofor, who cares? Oops, maybe some ijit misidentified him as African American. What does that prove? I accidentally called my Scottish friend Irish one day, According to Genius Maddox, I guess my dumb mistake means that Scotland and Ireland don't make any sense.

Now, on to people of color. No argument from me: that's nauseatingly P.C.

Playing God?

Click here for the news article

This is a troubling moral problem. The little girl was born brain damaged, can't walk, talk, eat, or goto the bathroom. So her parents decided it would be in her best interest to perform surgery that will keep her stunted or won't allow her to grow and develop parts that she would eventually cause her pain - such as full hysterectomy to prevent menstrual cramps.

The doctors who performed the surgery went against the law, something to do with not following full procedures in terms of medical review. But doctors doing the right thing is another topic.

Are the parents incorrect to 'butcher' the little girl so that she remains a child forever? Gosh, as I child I had hopes and aspirations that any problems can be overcome. As an adult, reality sinks with bills, responsibilities, and sustaining a way of life that I didn't have to worry about as a kid.

The adult in me suggests that the parents did the right thing for their own sanity as well as their little girls pain.

The child in me says, 'stem cell research', 'dna pre-screening', 'gene-therapy' are options that should be made available to all people having children to ensure everyone doesn't suffer unnecessarily.

Georgia on Who's Mind? Not Purdue!

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/03/10/revenue_0311.html

Based on above article, you simply have to wonder what the heck our Governor is doing to this state?

We already have the worst commute, poor education, corrupt politicians/state employees, and some of the nations worst sports!

And now he's thinking of cutting educators pay!? - and then not provide new computers to school systems in need - which gives wealthier neighborhoods an advantage over the impoverished!

Wasn't there talk if McCain would be voted in as president that he'd considered Purdue as his running mate - talk about compounding mistakes!? Wasn't Purdue misusing taxpayer funds by traveling via helicopter to and fro places to avoid the beat traffic? Doesn't he walk around with overpaid, overweight bodyguards that spit tobacco?

With Purdue in office, Georgia has lacked an identity and is only marred by reconstruction that seems to benefit only corporations and not improve the quality of living that once marked its status as an elite city to live in!

Time for Change! Purdue must go!

(disclaimer: this message was not in part paid by the campaign for barack obama and any subsequent advisers to said party, as its the use and privilege of the author to express an opinion/sentiments that are merely echoed by aforementioned political platform.)

Politiking 2008

I'm not a political analyst, but I can't help but wonder whether this country should still cling to flip-flopping political parties every four to eight years for the long term health of this nation? In every other context, that's known as indecision - and it just feels that we're losing our identity as a nation because of this.

I don't think there's one good solution - but perhaps 'change' is the wrong buzz word for what this nation needs in terms of stability? Shouldn't each platform offer to "improve" or "adapt" on what the previous administration did? It doesn't seem like logical progression for new management to completely overhaul the current system every time there's something wrong.

It just makes more sense for the head honcho of this country to NOT be aligned with any political party, but be voted in to make the best of what is currently available. For example, if it's John McCain as our next president, he shouldn't opt for the liberals/demos to take the high road, he just needs to make bipartisan decisions for the best immediate/long term health of this country! Perhaps we need a neutral judge type character to be our president?

Ok, so thinking out loud - why should America vote for a candidate that only benefits half the country with their political platform of ideas and plans? That system seems ultimately flawed!

It's like owning a company, and about to hire a new employee with these credentials, "only wants to work 8-12 but get paid fulltime, doesn't have the necessary skills, but is very friendly, and will mesh well with the staff!"

Instead of "works independently/diligently, desires competitive compensation for full-time salary, has the skill set and gets along with everyone"?

So when voting this year, pick the person you think brings the complete package, or don't vote at all. Fug settling. Fug platforms. Fug your own issues. We all own pieces of this company we call America -hire the ultimate best solution for the overall health/care/productivity of your investment.

We're not a country of change, we're a country of adaptation.

Survival of the fittest favors adaptation.

Bipartison Political Party?! Dopeness, at least I'm not alone in this way of thought.