malcomxonurass

Since debate in this community often centers around Judeo-Christian cultural perspectives, I thought I'd offer something a little different. Professor Richard Hayes, in a series of lectures given at Leiden University, discusses ten philosophical questions that could be asked of Buddhists that are relevant to Western strands of philosophical inquiry. One of those lectures discusses the classical Buddhist arguments against the possibility of a single source of creation. Since I'm both dumb and lazy, I'm not going to attempt to summarize those arguments here, but offer the text of the lecture [PDF] for your leisurely perusal. And since, as I mentioned, I'm rather dumb, I'm at a loss as to whether the arguments made are in any way sound - although they seem so - or whether aspects of them have been addressed by Western philosophers or theologians.

Here's where you come in. If you are interested in reading this somewhat brief lecture and would like to attempt to rebut the arguments contained therein, I would be most grateful and interested in your arguments. I will also do my best to defend the arguments and/or explain the cultural/historical context in which they occurred. Or if you would not like to be bothered to compose original arguments, you may instead point me toward literature that would help me see past the convincing lines of reasoning that these arguments present. In either case,

convert_me

Hi Friends and Colleagues,

I am writing to urge you to contact the White House and let President Obama know that you are opposed to BOTH the Senate and House versions of the currently propose health care reform.

Like most of you, I too have been filling out petitions, blogging and Twittering about these underhanded attempts in our Congress to violate women's fundamental Constitutional right to abortion. I understand it has become tiring and seems repetitive, but the fact of the matter is that no one in power seems to be listening to the big advocacy organizations like NARAL, Planned Parenthood or NOW, so I think it is time that folks as individuals make their voices heard. Please keep in mind that contacting our Senators did not stop the most recent anti-abortion amendment being pushed through without the approval of the majority of the Senate. In my mind, this means that it has gone beyond the point of people asking their elected officials to look out for their interests. If these officials were able to adequately represent us, we wouldn't have a small cabal of three or four persons (most of them white men, who will never become pregnant), flagrantly ignoring the procedures of the Senate, while being given the approval of The White House in the process.

So, pick up the phone, fax or email The White House TODAY!
They can be reached here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/

I suggest that folks also write letters to the editors of their newspapers, magazines and television stations and DEMAND that they interview local citizens about their opinions regarding this health care reform and the subversion of abortion rights, because I for one am sick and tired of only reading pieces with commentary by the advocacy groups when again, it seems as though those same groups are not being heard or are not engaging in an effective manner with our representatives. The whole thing stinks and feels very gamed to me. In my experience, the best way to effectively deal with these types of situations is to introduce a third party (namely individuals citizens), who can use the internet or other means so that their voices are actually seen and heard.

Here is a thorough explanation as to how the current Nelson amended Senate Bill will restrict women and trans folks' (FTMs and genderqueers) access to abortions and other reproductive health services:
http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2009/12/20/the-nelson-compromise

Here is a look into the pork barrel bribe that was offered to Senator Nelson and the State of Nebraska in exchange for his 60th vote, which came at the expense of reproductive freedom:
http://biggovernment.com/2009/12/19/sen-nelsons-bribe/

Here is a breakdown of why the health care reform overall is horrible for US people and our future health and financial well being:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/12/19/816961/-Why-This-Senate-Health-Bill-Should-Not-Pass

Yours in Feminist Solidarity!

Global warming! World hunger! War! Pedophiles! These are the things that we seem to wring our hands about as whole societies. This is what we see on the TV and hear on the radio. It makes for good news. Especially if you have a celebrity talking about it, because celebrities are better than the rest of us and because we are all personal friends of theirs ("Oh yes, I know (him/her)! I read (his/her) twitter every day!).

Groan.

When I walk around outside I see the seeds of society's failure every day. I see the failure of most of the population around me to recognize that their wellbeing depends upon their cooperation with others.

I live in a busy city. I used to work in the heart of it every weekday. And every weekday, while on my way to work, I would have to cross several streets as a pedestrian. There were always dozens of other pedestrians waiting at the lights to do the same. Quite regularly the street we were waiting to cross would be quite packed with cars, such that they was one or two in the middle of the intersection. Large city buses often did this, knowing that the traffic ahead would move momentarily (the next light is green). Quite often, though, the lights would change just as the bus was crawling out of the intersection.

What do you think happened? As soon as the lights changed, 50 pedestrians would begin to cross. The vast majority of them would cross in front of the bus. There was now a space for the bus to move into, but that didn't matter to these people. They had the pedestrian light, so they were crossing. End of story. Meanwhile the bus was blocking the cross-street. Hundreds of cars had to wait until the next lights because this bus was in the way. And behind them, hundreds more had to wait at their lights because these cars in front of them weren't moving.

But what if those 50 pedestrians had waited for all of 10 seconds and let the bus through? Well, then everything would have been fine. No gridlock, no enraged drivers. Just some pedestrians waiting for 10 seconds.

It happens on an even smaller scale. There is a driveway into a warehouse around the corner from me, on a busy street. Occasionally while walking down the footpath I see a car waiting to enter or leave the driveway. There is a light up the road. If the light is red, the car has a chance to get in or out. If it is green they certainly will not be able to do so until it changes again. But in just 4 weeks, I have on several occasions watched as other pedestrians strolled obliviously across the driveway, blocking the car that had a brief chance to get onto the street. Had they waved the car through, or just walked behind it, that driver would have been able to get out. Or more importantly, get in, and not block 100 meters of traffic behind them.

I could make similar rants about the crap I've been hearing on the radio about how pubs have to close because alcohol is evil, or speeding drivers, drugs, what have you. It always seems to come down to the failure of just a few people to get some situational awareness as they live their lives.

What's the explanation? Are people stupid? Oblivious? Or is it just a lack of social responsibility? How do we teach this?

Send in the trains!

Ok, so all this environmental news has got me thinkin'. Everyone is busy talking up the technology-gospel as our way out of this mess. Hey, really, all we need to do is buy enough solar panels and everything will be fine. I'm not sold on this idea. In fact, I think it is the exact opposite. Technology is of the devil.

Take the tractor, for instance. We all like the tractor. The tractor lets a single person farm 20 acres a day. That is very impressive. Very efficient, right?

No, not at all. That stupid tractor takes 200 people to make, ship and sell. Thta's ok though, because the tractor makes enough food for the extra requirement of people. Nuclear power? Sweet. We get like 1.21 jiggawatts from a plutonium atom, or something. Of course, that nuclear power plant requires 2000 people to make, run and sustain. That's ok, our new carbon-free tractors can be used to grow even more food. Food that is now genetically engineered and sold by a team of 350 scientists, 600 grad students, 50 HR reps, 12 executives, and 1000 clerks.

Wait a second here, I'm starting to see a pattern. It appears that technology simply drives our ability to consume, and historically speaking, simply feeds our voracious desires and enables ever greater heights of consumption and thus, pollution. The idea that just getting rid of emissions will fix our problems is silly. The idea that technology will do anything other than drive our ability to destroy everything is silly.

I'm going Amish. The simple fact is that we are supposed to spend 14 back-breaking hours of heavy labor a day just to barely sustain ourselves. Oh, but what about our lovely musics and arts? Culture? Advancements?

I don't know, it all just seems like the Titanic at this point. I mean, it appears that the natural balance of nature is predicated upon animals doing two things: eating, sleeping, mating. Three things, then. Zeus was right to punish Promoetheus.

We need more trains!

I'm going Amish. Convert me away from my new lifestyle.

Transgender State Workers Are Expected to Gain Bias Protection
NY Times
By JEREMY W. PETERS
Published: December 15, 2009

Gov. David A. Paterson plans to extend antidiscrimination protections to transgender state employees, a decision that signifies the broadest inclusion yet of transgender people in state policy, according to several people with direct knowledge of the matter.

Mr. Paterson will carry out the decision through an executive order, to be signed on Wednesday, that will require state agencies to include transgender individuals in their nondiscrimination policies, these people said.
( Read more... )