How did Twitter become crucial infrastructure? Seriously, wasn’t it just a month or two ago that Ashton Kutcher and Oprah threatened to drain all possible credibility out of the service? Wasn’t there much wailing and gnashing of teeth? So how did we get from there to the state department asking Twitter to delay a maintenance [...]
Posted by Chris in Government, Oddly Enough, Technology, World on June 19th, 2009 | No Comments »
It might work if you’re a Montague or a Capulet, but for LGBT folks, marriage by any other name does not smell as sweet. Here’s the bottom line on why this issue is so important and pushes so many buttons:
Marriage = legitimacy.
That is, if LGBT folks can marry, it means that their relationships are [...]
Posted by Deb in Community & Activism, Government, Law, News, Politics, Sexuality on March 7th, 2009 | No Comments »
Bob Barr, author of the Defense of Marriage Act, recants, like sort-of, in this article.
Maybe hidden in the causes of his commitment to federalism is an understanding of the inherent civil rights of human beings — as stated in the the Bill of Rights and, oh, in this little phrase from a certain document: We [...]
Posted by Deb in Community & Activism, Government, Politics, Sexuality, You have got to be kidding on January 9th, 2009 | 2 Comments »
So, I’ve been asking myself that question a lot since Prop 8 eked out a victory this week at the polls — thanks in large part to the approximately 22 million dollars donated by members of the LDS (Mormon) Church to the Yes on 8 campaign. Seems like I’m not the only one asking [...]
Posted by Deb in Community & Activism, Government, Politics, Religion, You have got to be kidding on November 7th, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Today’s “guest post” is shamelessly copied from an email I got from Lee. The words are his, but I share the sentiment. ~c
My friends (!) -
So you know how most of the world kinda wishes we could just undo Bush? Maybe take away the God-like power W gave to the presidency? Perhaps return some level [...]
Posted by Chris in Government, Politics, To Help on November 7th, 2008 | No Comments »
Ted shared an article in Reason this morning: Not Voting and Proud. While I totally understand that “abstain” is just as valid a choice as any on the ballot, I think that Brian Doherty, the article’s author, makes a few missteps:
He sets up a false dichotomy between voting and otherwise helping out in the community. [...]
Posted by Chris in Government, Philosophy, Politics on November 4th, 2008 | 1 Comment »
or, What Democrats Don’t Understand About Morality
This is really fascinating stuff, folks.
Read this.
Then watch this:
And to quote from Jonathan Haidt’s article:
Here’s my alternative definition: morality is any system of interlocking values, practices, institutions, and psychological mechanisms that work together to suppress or regulate selfishness and make social life possible. It turns out that human [...]
Posted by Deb in Academia, Education, Government, Oddly Enough, Politics, Science on October 3rd, 2008 | No Comments »
This opinion piece from The New York Times, entitled Preserving California’s Constituion, pretty much sums it up, so I’m posting the whole article here. Bottom line is that Prop 8 is a “mean-spirited attempt to embed second-class treatment of one group of citizens in the State Constitution.”
Oh, and about those “activist judges?” [...]
Posted by Deb in Community & Activism, Government, Politics, Sexuality on September 30th, 2008 | No Comments »
Dear Sirs,
Pursuant to the recent findings of the International Atomic Energy Agency, I respectfully request that you continue to refrain from invading the sovereign nation of Iran. I quote from a recent analysis of the Iranian situation:
All materials and centrifuges are under Agency seal and surveillance and the Agency guarantees no diversion without their knowledge. [...]
Posted by Chris in Government, World on September 17th, 2008 | No Comments »