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You reap what you sow
I find it amazing and ironic that the religious right is crying discrimination with regard to a provision in the stimulus bill to ban money designated for school renovation from being spent on facilities that allow “religious worship”:
These are the same people that argued that government should stay out of the affairs of private schools:
I do not feel that public funding should be extended to any organization that discriminates against an individual based on their sexual orientation. If you want your child to be indoctrinated, you’re going to have to pay extra for it.
19-year old commits suicide live online
I’ve been fascinated by this story, which is both powerful and sad. On Wednesday, November 19th, 19-year old Abraham Biggs of Pembroke Pines, Florida, commit suicide in front of an audience via Justin.tv. It was discovered that he was apparently egged on by several forum commenters on bodybuilding.com. Apparently, the teen had cried foul several times in the past and forum visitors did not believe that he was serious. Eventually someone called the police when they realized he was serious.
A copy of the original thread can be found on Google cache, however, you can view the screen captures of the thread here since it’s difficult to navigate pages.
You can see a portion of the video when the cops show up here (warning: contains racial slurs):
(Is it S.O.P. to throw shit at and use laser scopes on a suspected suicide vitcim?)
This page has the suicide note.
Remeber folks, crying for help is someone who is ASKING FOR HELP.
Charlie Gibson Interviews Palin
To anyone still thinking about voting for McCain, I’d like you to read these excepts from ABC’s Charlie Gibson’s interview with Sarah Palin:
UW-Eau Claire Bible Study Controversy
While listening to WTAQ this morning on my way to work, I believe it was Jerry Bader who commented on a recent controversy at UW-Eau Claire regarding a resident assistant (RA) whom was conducting bible study sessions in the basement of the dorm where he lived and worked. Surprisingly, I couldn’t find any articles about this incident in The Spectator (UW-Eau Claire’s student-run newspaper), but Google News came to my rescue. Apparently, this RA was sent a letter forbidding him from conducting the bible study sessions within the dorm where he worked.
Not surprisingly, this created a controversy over the individual’s rights and freedom of speech. From the article linked below:
The controversy began on July 26, when UWEC Associate Director for Housing and Residence Life Deborah Newman sent a letter saying RAs could not lead Bible studies in their dorms at any time. Her reason for this was that students might not think Bible study-leading RAs were sufficiently “approachable.”
…and from this article:
They can participate in one, or lead one in another building. The school says if assistants lead bible studies in their dorm, it might make them seem unapproachable to some students. Administrators say it could also violate the separation of church and state because RA’s are university employees.
I think the ban is a good idea, since it appears to me that they are welcome to study by themselves, as well as participate in any other religious activities both on- and off-campus, so long as it’s not in the dorm where they work and live. They article below also mentioned, “Newman’s letter added that Koran and Torah studies would be similarly prohibited,” so I don’t see any discrimination there.
Finally, he is essentially an employee of the state in a state-run institution. Accepting the position of RA comes with several
restrictions, and this is one of them. Although I agree this policy should have been spelled out in some sort of handbook that he should have received, nobody put a gun to his head to become an RA. Such restrictions are a large part of the reason many students choose not to become RAs.
What do you think?
- College Bans Dormitory Bible Studies (Nice sensationalistic headline, there.)
November 4th, 2005 
News & Current Events, religion 
Tags: eau claire, news, Politics, religion, more... Yahoo and MSN Messenger to Communicate
According to this article, Yahoo and Microsoft have agreed to make their IM clients interoperable:
“Beginning in the second quarter of 2006, customers of Yahoo Messenger or MSN Messenger programs will be able to exchange instant messages, see the presence of their contacts, share emoticons, add friends from either service and make PC-to-PC voice calls, Yahoo and Microsoft said Wednesday.”
That’s pretty cool, as I think I like the Yahoo Messenger client more than the MSN client. I’ve just always used the MSN client because my buddies all use it, and I don’t like having a multitude of IM clients installed on my machine.
Hurricane Katrina
Wow, the devestation of Katrina just keeps unfolding. What do y’all think about rebuilding New Orleans and other communities affected by this storm? I know if something like that happened in Appleton, I’d have a really tough time picking up and moving elsewhere. Although I think denial contributed to the magnitude of this problem, I do feel we as a country should do everything we can to help those affected get back on their feet.
Those who lost property or life should be completely compensated. However, I think people in the area should only be bailed out once. If you choose to rebuild and live/work there, it should be you, your state, and your communities responsibilities to cover the damage through increased insurance. Another hurricane, even one of Katrina’s magnitude, is innevitable. I’m happy my tax money is being used to help those in need right now, but I’d be disappointed if we had to continually bail them out when they know full well the consequences of building in such an area. Perhaps this wasn’t as much of an issue when their communities were being built, but our transforming climate has changed all that.
I have absolutely no problem if people want to rebuild in the area, just as I don’t have a problem with people building on coastal properties of Florida that are regularly affected by hurricanes. However, just as I have to pay higher insurance rates if I choose a risky lifestyle, the same should apply to those who build in hurricane alley. I feel sad for the death and descruction, but I might consider it foolish to tempt fate again.
As a wise man once said, “Fool me once, shame on you … You can’t get fooled again.”
Perhaps in my sheltered view from up here in Wisconsin I’m not seeing things as clearly. I welcome your comments.
Canadian Parliament Approves Gay Marriage Bill
Canadian Parliament approved a bill by an 8% margin that would allow same-sex marriages, making Canada the third country to do so after the Netherlands and Belgium. This is truly a victory for civil rights, and it’s comforting to see so close to home.
Although the passage through its final reading is very significant, it needs Senate approval and then the stamp from the Governor-General, which expected and may become law by July.
To paraphrase some comments posted on Fark: We welcome Canada to the 21st century. I just wish the U.S. would come out of the 19th century. Hopefully the religious right’s failure to enter the time period after the discovery the internal combustion engine will make this a reality in our life times.
Recent Supreme Court Decisions
Eminent Domain
The Supreme Court voted to strengthen the power of government to seize private property for commercial developments last Thursday, a sad blow to the rights of the small and middle class property owner. Having known someone who was adversely affected by the use of eminent domain, I think this ruling was truly sad. From the Journal Sentinel article:
The court ruled 5-4 that local governments can buy property, even when it isn’t blighted, as long as the owner is fairly compensated.
I have two problems with this statement. First of all, local governments no longer have to justify their use of eminent domain beyond some sort of “public good.” Every proposed use of eminent domain likely has some benefit to a portion of the public at the expense of robbing the property owner. Furthermore, in my experience, “fair compensation” often means the current market value. I think it should mean fair market value, plus moving expenses, plus an inconvenience bonus. That doesn’t even take into account the emotional toll of losing land that one’s family may have owned for generations, or the feeling of being robbed by the community you’ve helped support and contribute to? All in the name of generating more tax revenue. I wonder when time come when eminent domain is used as a threat to defeat political opposition?
- From the Journal Sentinel: A looser rein on eminent domain
- Summary from the Houston Chronicle: Recent Supreme Court rulings unsettling
***Update***
The house has passed a bill that “would withhold federal money from state and local governments that use powers of eminent domain to force businesses and homeowners to give up their property for commercial uses.” Score one for the little guys!
File-sharing suffers major defeatAnother ruling to benefit mega corporations. If I use a screwdriver to kill someone, should the manufacturer be liable? What if I use my cell phone to threaten someone – should Sanyo be hauled into court? Here is the kicker:
We hold that one who distributes a device with the object of promoting its use to infringe copyright … is liable for the resulting acts of infringement by third parties.
Well, I suppose that makes sense – anyone who promotes a crime probably should be held accountable to some degree. However, are the makers of Grokster and Morpheus, et al “promoting its use to infringe copyright?” I don’t think so, anymore than BitTorrent creator Bram Cohen does, or Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the world wide web. I don’t file share to the extent I did in college, but I also don’t feel that software should made illegal, only the actions of those who use it formalicious purposes.
US Bans Commandments in Court
Anothing ambigous ruling, although a partial victory for separation of religion and state I suppose. The justices ruled against the display of framed copies of the Commandments, but some displays would be permissible if they were “portrayed neutrally in order to honor America’s legal history”. I’m not sure how they can make such a distinction. It could be argued either way whether a particular display of the Ten Commandments is historical or a declaration of government support. Either way, I don’t find any display of religion in government as neutral, whether it be of Christian or Muslim or whatever origin. How does the atheist or Muslim feel about his or her chances while walking up the court steps past a monument of Christian beliefs? Seems intimidating, to me.
June 29th, 2005
News & Current Events, People, Politics Tags: eminent domain, michael jackson, news, Politics, religion, more... Jacko and Shill
It’s been awhile since I posted anything, so I thought I would chime in on some current events.
Michael Jackson – Although I’m not too surprised he was found innocent on the molestation charges, I’m a little surprised he didn’t get nailed for allegedly serving alcohol to a minor, just to get him for something. Either way, from the interviews I’ve heard, it sounds like the jury made the right decision given reasonable doubt. For his sake, I hope he has learned a lesson or two. Something tells me we’ll see him again in court within the next 5 years, though. It will be interesting to see if he releases another album. People have short memories, so I think it would sell if it was any good.
Bush agrees to forgive $40bn in African debt – Thank goodness, because we sure don’t have financial problems in our own country! I say pay off our own debt, fix what’s broken in our own country, and then you can go play Mother Teresa. I don’t recall anyone ever offering to forgive my mortgage. Instead, I now have another debt to help pay off. Thanks Bush!
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