Sunday Morning Reading Material First Sunday in October 2011- 80 Percent Fewer Hospital Trips Edition
When the internet attacks.
It’s Sunday Morning. Sundays are for introducing your Girlfriend to your friends. Sundays are for celebrating a life well lived. Sundays are for plotting revenge. Or Sundays might just be for playing video games and eating good food.
This week, the US president took advantage of his self-declared power to murder Americans without warning or oversight. This week, Facebook rolled out new ways to gather personal data on their users. Also this week: Wall Street was “occupied” to protest greed.
Europe is falling apart. It’s going to take America with it. Here’s everything you need to know.
The US President declared that he had the power to assassinate any American citizen anywhere in the world for no better reason than his own say so. Perhaps the scariest part? He has claimed the right to do this in secret. For all we know, President Obama has ordered the murder of an American citizen for making a pass at his wife. That may sound far fetched– it is far fetched– but the president has asserted that it would be legal for him to do so, and legal for him to not tell us about it. Thus far, Congress has raised no outcry.
I once heard a professor describe Unions as (something like) a method by which labor is rationed. I blanched at that, and he assured me that in economic terms he was correct. Once I gave it a few moments’ thought, I had to agree. How else can a union maintain it’s strength save by limiting the monopoly power of employers.
When individuals form organizations with the purpose of pooling money to own (and derive profit from owning) the means of production, (corporations) those groups are allowed to bargain as one unit. That “collective bargaining unit” derives enormous power from the solidarity of the capitalists. Their ability to speak with a single voice; lobby local, state, and federal lawmakers on their own behalf; etc is uncontroversial. When workers join together looking to band together to enjoy that same power, the law is called out to stop them. And this is why the 1% have it much better than the rest of us.
Occupy Wall Street is a fantastic idea. I would not at all have minded seeing actual barricades thrown up in front of each of the banks and brokerages with revenues of $1 billion or more. It would have kept those people from working, and thus saved untold billions of dollars worth of mischief. The actuality of Occupy Wall Street left much to be desired. I don’t know what the protesters wanted, or what interests they served. I have a vague idea that the protesters were lefties, but the Tea Partiers claim to be speaking for the exact same constituency. This lack of communications skills is why progressive policies have a difficult time passing.
Household incomes are down. Spending is (naturally) therefore: down. And the economy? If people aren’t spending money they haven’t got, the economy is… down. From this it is easy to understand that our economy suffers from a demand-side depression, not a supply side downturn. Good news: we know how to solve demand-side economic disasters. Bad news? In 2010, we elected people who don’t want to raise money to fight for a better economy.
I’m not sure why anyone hates English lawyers this much, but the sign is awesome.
There is only one proof of manhood I, or anyone else, need: our own say-so. Anyone who defines their manhood in terms of branding or outside considerations is holding their manhood cheap. Manhood is much like womanhood: it’s all about having the confidence to be who you are. “Real” men can buy tampons for the ladies in their lives. “Real” men know that- if they want- they can paint their damned toenails bright pink. And “real” men stand up to the bullies who tell them otherwise. “Real” ladies do the same thing.
Most of us, most of the time, are going to fit easily into our socially assigned gender roles. It is 100% ok to fit easily into those roles. The important thing is to remember that those roles are arbitrary. Until 60 years ago, little boys wore pink skirts. Arbitrary distinctions may not be penalized or punished. I think this is the rule that separates the civilized from the uncivilized.
Last week held international coffee week. here are some coffee facts.
I’m pretty sure I don’t want penis coffee.
I grew up deep in the suburbs. In college, I commuted an hour each way to work. When I moved to San Francisco, I gleefully gave up my car. Living in a city where I could get anywhere at any time without needing to drive was a new sort of freedom. Not having to drive means that my commute can be spent reading, playing games, or watching a video. Commuting turns from a chore into a part of my leisure time.
In 1980, the US had a population of 226 million people. In 2011, the population is 308 million. That’s an increase of 36%. Between 1980 and 2011, there has been a zero percent increase in the number of Medical Doctorates awarded each year. Assuming doctors do not have longer careers now than they did 30 years ago, that points to a radically lower doctor/patient ratio. Why does medicine cost so much more now than it did 30 years ago? I’d say a good place to look is supply and demand.
I admit to being something of a dandy. Sunday afternoon, when meeting up with my friends, I plan on wearing a cravat. No real reason. Because I can. So yes. I go to far for fashion. Other nerds can learn how to dress better. I’m a dandy because I enjoy it. Dressing well helps people be taken more seriously.
One of the more disturbing trends in gaming is that graphics have long overshadowed gameplay for AAA productions. That’s what has been so nice about the stagnation of this console generation: the plateau in visual fidelity has turned into easy tools for reaching acceptable levels of graphics. This has led to an explosion of “indie” games, built around novel mechanics and zany ideas.
As I understand what the police are claiming happened here: the police erected mesh barriers to infringe on the rights of the people to peaceably assemble. For the crime of petitioning for a redress of grievances, the officers on hand indiscriminately used a non-lethal chemical weapon. When called to account for these actions, the police described them as “appropriate”. I call bullshit.
I can’t help but note that the movement against “frivolous” lawsuits have the net effect of making it harder for humans to protect ourselves against corporations. The best part? We’re spreading untrue anti-human propaganda ourselves.
It seems DC did a huge redesign of their entire lineup. Refreshing a comic every decade or so would seem to give the creators the chance to keep the books healthy and relevant. unless they pull shit like this. This 7 year old girl can’t articulate the phrase “male gaze”, but she does intuit that the books are not designed for her. I wonder if DC realizes that they are creating for themselves a huge problem.
A shot by shot analysis of what makes the 1978 Superman movie’s opening sequence work.
If you click just one link:
America has long had a policy of Affirmative Action. We only wanted to curtail it once it started helping black folks.
This week’s theme was work, jobs, and gender. In the comments section, tell me about your favorite board game.
Just because the southern Civil Warriors were overwhelmingly the heirs of slave-owners doesn’t mean the rebellion was fought over slavery!
Related posts:
- Sunday Morning Reading Material: Fourth Sunday in May 2011: And I feel fine edition
- Sunday Morning Reading Material: Second Sunday in June 2011: The legend of Laura Secord Edition
- Sunday Morning Reading Material: Third Sunday in June 2011: That’s An Important Distinction Edition
- Sunday Morning Reading Material Fifth Sunday in July 2011- Jobbed Recovery Edition
- Sunday Morning Reading Material First Sunday in September 2011- Mightily Anemic Labor Edition
I’m impressed by Occupy Wall Street’s staying power. Unfocused rage may not be easily translatable into talking points, but it’s clear that it’s striking a cord with plenty of people.
It’s impressive, too, in these days of made-for-reality-tv reality, to see some real mass action arise spontaneously. I think it would make great television — the cops have certainly obliged with plenty of high-drama violence. It’s just that the “real” news has so many other, more *ahem* important stories to cover. Which unfortunately does make it all the more important to have a clear message to hammer home when the cameras do glance your way.
It’s like playing Candyland with 5-year-olds. Random cruelty that seems personal is built into the game… and eventually somebody* gets pissed enough to flip the board and storm outside.
*Usually me.