tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14850247404869992282024-02-07T04:01:08.808-05:00 Bean' AliveDon't agonize. Organize.The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-41447895834209715692015-07-11T12:10:00.001-04:002015-07-11T12:11:34.134-04:00Highlights from Readercon 26<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Originally, when I said I was going to Readercon 26, a convention for sci-fi and fantasy writers (or those interested but not yet writers) (and probably people who are just readers too, idk), I bragged that I would blog extensively every night and share my epic stories and what I learned, etc. etc. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">As it turns out, writers conventions are relatively rigorous and require intellectual stamina of which I have very little to spare for things other than how to properly write aliens and how to survive in the Spec fic mag market. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So, quick overview, I'm on day three of panels, I've attended nine in three days, I'll be going to three more today, and I have panels tomorrow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">My brain is sort of smoking from the amount of info I've been taking in, and I need to get some work done for an hour, but that's a very brief overview of what I've been going over -- more to come either later today or tomorrow.</span></span>The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-4454247849648302072015-05-26T13:36:00.000-04:002015-05-26T13:36:22.655-04:00Good copy choices make fun stories<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.txwatson.com/" target="_blank">T.X. Watson</a> and I, for one of our last issues of the newspaper we ran together (I think it was the last one, I'm not entirely sure), got a story from one of our editors about plane crashes and human error.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">We both listen to a podcast called <a href="http://www.hellointernet.fm/" target="_blank">Hello Internet</a>, which is a podcast about, well, a lot of things by Youtubers CGP Grey (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/CGPGrey" target="_blank">CGP Grey</a>) and Brady Haran (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/numberphile" target="_blank">Numberphile</a>).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I sent a picture of Watson and me holding the paper to Brady, and he asked to share it!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Link <a href="http://www.bradyharanblog.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. </span>The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-16391001583937572912015-04-20T14:23:00.004-04:002015-04-20T14:33:34.695-04:00If you're not a Solarpunk, you're missing out<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZnZaszeHnyu1rMR9oj3L_x53wPwGbxsuIauVbz2Gb9uIQHOMVjUBW5aOn-JQDqWGtkz-j-6zIoAm7hjdYcUJD7R3zw9yOpd93zIZIykBLg1TkBDSOWZ5UIfssXuW6GjO8kxLKTUM8IINJ/s1600/OC_Solarpunk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZnZaszeHnyu1rMR9oj3L_x53wPwGbxsuIauVbz2Gb9uIQHOMVjUBW5aOn-JQDqWGtkz-j-6zIoAm7hjdYcUJD7R3zw9yOpd93zIZIykBLg1TkBDSOWZ5UIfssXuW6GjO8kxLKTUM8IINJ/s1600/OC_Solarpunk.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art of OC in a Solarpunk setting by <a href="http://txwatson.com/" target="_blank">T.X. Watson</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Earth Day is this Wednesday, and it's more important than ever to pay attention to what's going on in our environment to ensure that humankind gets to live on -- and live on in an ethical and comfortable way. And what's a better way to celebrate Earth Day than acting like a punk?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">No, seriously. Act like a punk -- a Solarpunk.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">SF writing has seen a couple of different manifestations of punk, like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberpunk" target="_blank">Cyberpunk </a>and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk" target="_blank">Steampunk</a>, but the new emerging form of punk, and the one most relevant to what is going on, is Solarpunk.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So, what's so cool about being punk?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Punk is rejecting oppressive systems, and punk is working to deconstruct and rebuild in unconventional but beneficial ways.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In the mainstream, punk is often represented as a bunch of angry white people breaking stuff (disclosure: I'm white), but that's not the type of punk I'm into or talking about.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Solarpunk is about is breaking stuff, but it's breaking down harmful institutions and ideology, not causing violence and harm for the sake of some privileged, temper-tantrum vogue. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Solarpunk is also interesting because it's about rebuilding with materials that are already available -- turning waste and harm into beauty and art. It's a reaction to the damage perpetuated under late capitalism.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://hieroglyph.asu.edu/2014/09/solarpunk-notes-toward-a-manifesto/" target="_blank">Solarpunk: Notes towards a manifesto</a> by Adam Flynn is a good start if you're looking to learn about Solarpunk. It's still in development, the world-building is in its beginning stages, but everyone is very enthusiastic. I want to outline some points the almost-manifesto makes.</span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i><span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #555555; line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">We’re </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #fefefe; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; color: #555555; line-height: 20.3999996185303px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">solarpunks</span><span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #555555; line-height: 20.3999996185303px;"> because the only other options are denial</span></i></span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i><span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #555555; line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">or despair.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></i></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Cyberpunk and Steampunk were in primarily dystopian settings-- there wasn't much room for hope, and it was more about survival the renewal. Solarpunk promises a future not present in the other major punks, and allows for a lot of freedom in the writing and world-building to imagine long-term solutions and future communities. Sustainable punk, if you will.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #555555; font-style: italic; line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">And yes, there’s a -punk there, and not just because it’s become a trendy suffix. There’s an oppositional quality to solarpunk, but it’s an opposition that begins with </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #fefefe; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; color: #555555; line-height: 20.3999996185303px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">infrastructure as a form of resistance</span><span style="background-color: #fefefe; color: #555555; font-size: large; line-height: 20.3999996185303px;">.</span></span></blockquote>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This calls back to my point about rebuilding as a form of resistance. A friend, fellow blogger and Solarpunk, <a href="http://www.txwatson.com/" target="_blank">T.X. Watson</a>, whose original Solarpunk artwork is shared in the photo attached to this post (they're actually the one who got me into Solarpunk), illustrated this idea well in a <a href="http://txwatson.tumblr.com/post/97152861778/i-keep-seeing-people-asking-is-solarpunk-really" target="_blank">tumblr post</a>:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I keep seeing people asking ‘is solarpunk really punk?’ because it’s too happy and optimistic and stuff </span></span></i><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">and I’m picturing a perfect moment in a solarpunk community — the neighbourhood mayor standing with a shit-eating grin on her face when the cops come and cut them off from city power, and nothing turns off.</span></span></i></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It's undermining the system by building your own, which is a beautiful thing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To follow T.X. Watson's Solarpunk blog and find other Solarpunks, link <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/watsons-solarpunk" target="_blank">here</a>. I also contribute to this blog.</span>The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-55962698253615038952015-03-19T19:57:00.000-04:002015-03-19T19:59:29.000-04:00A critical look at romance<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Dictionary.com defines romance as I'm just kidding, but I had you going there for a second, didn't I? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I meant to write that beginning as a joke, but defining romance as "I'm just kidding, but I had you going there for a second there, didn't I" sounds weirdly accurate from a cynical perspective.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I've been thinking about the idea of romance a lot, lately, and it's come to my attention that it's a rather vague idea and word. I'm not entirely sure what to do with it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I can understand "romance" as an artistic and literary movement, and I get "romanticization" as a problem with a blurred and fuzzy perception of more serious things -- but romance, as it equates to relationships? -- forget it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I suppose I could spin some hasty poems about "her face glistening like a dew drop on a rose" or "his voice singing my name like a chorus of morning doves" or "their fingers caressing my skin like soft waves on warm summer sand" but none of those things <i>mean </i>anything without context. Romance is an idea, and it's an idea presently defined by societal and cultural norms and by capitalist shit-posting about what products to pile on those we love. (and I'm pretty certain at this point that capitalism is just shit-posting ads at my generation because they're not entirely sure what makes us all tick)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So if products and words don't necessarily make romance -- what does? Is it affection? Holding someone or touching someone or kissing someone? Is it chivalry? (no it's definitely not chivalry get that crap out of my face)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">A lot of sites I've browsed describe romance as a feeling -- an elation and a change in usual cognitive function or a deep love, but I feel as though all of these changes can exist and be described in ways other than romance. You can be in love with someone without romance, and you can experience elation without romance just from affection and intimacy alone, which I don't think necessarily play into this idea of romance.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Romance to me seems more like an illusion, a stained-glass reflection of the reality of feeling, whether it be love or just infatuation. I could be wrong.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I'm stumped, kids, and I'm trying to figure it out. What in the hell is romance supposed to be?</span>The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-38322094671486490642015-03-01T20:49:00.002-05:002015-03-01T20:53:19.228-05:00I am not legend<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Transferring is scary.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I'm in my last semester at community college, I'm trying to snag two degrees and get into some of the more pricey and selective colleges available to me, and I'm moving out of my house this summer. Yikes.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But meanwhile, while I'm prepping for this, I'm doing a whole bunch of other stuff. I'm enrolled in five classes, I work 20 hours a week, I run a club and I'm planning a film festival for it, and I run a (usually) bi-weekly free-press, student run newspaper.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Sometimes I have a social life, too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So, while looking at the work that's laid out in front of me, I was thinking at all those stories I used to hear growing up about immensely successful individuals who excel at everything by never sleeping and having tumultuous lives but seem really cool in print because their existences are epic romanticisms of pain and glory.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I really, really don't want that to be my life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">To clarify, I'm not comparing my successes in community college to the epic founding and content of say, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McClure%27s" target="_blank">McClure's Magazine</a> (a prime example of pain and glory), but what I'm saying is that I'm very much self-conditioned to expect myself to hit that level of success very quickly and to do so by neglecting to take a break and, I don't know, eat something. Which is a bad idea, kiddos. Self care, first.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It's one thing to tell myself that I need to chill out, and that I'm doing fine. It's quite another to believe it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I don't know where I'm going with this. There's some point to be made here about taking care of basic needs and being kind to yourself. I just liked my clever title. </span></div>
The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-9869647632194865142015-01-27T21:56:00.000-05:002015-01-27T21:56:07.163-05:00My theory on happiness<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">[Important note: this has nothing to do with my last post, although it seems like an appropriate follow-up]</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I'm enrolled in a philosophy of happiness course-- admittedly my first philosophy course ever-- and I just read an intro, catch-all academic article on different philosophies discussed throughout the existence of mankind on what happiness is and what makes us happy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I thought it would be painfully difficult to come up with an original theory for the philosophy of happiness (I'm sure it's not actually original and is related to other theories, but it comes from personal experience as opposed to me rewording another philosopher's idea), but I have an idea of what I think happiness is.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I once had a therapist (I've had many, but this one said something relevant to this discussion) who told me that one bad experience is worth several good experiences. I'm not sure if this is scientifically valid, or if I'm not remembering her correctly, but I remember that this idea was put into my head that I had to seek out positive experiences to balance out the negativity in my past, and therefore I could move forward and learn to trust people.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It's kind of a sad theory, but I think overall happiness is having a higher ratio of good experiences to bad experiences. Like 5:1 would be a good base ratio.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This is a horrible thought, but I think it may be accurate. And I think that's why I find it so important to treat people well (although I've failed in the past) and take care of my community.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Man that theory sucks.</span>The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-23987102562403402052015-01-22T15:34:00.000-05:002015-01-22T15:35:54.479-05:00How you can tell you're lying to yourself<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I've been going through bit of a rough patch.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I've been very angry lately, and it's been taking a toll. It's been taking a toll on me, and it's been taking a toll on the people I love.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Sometimes, when someone feels threatened or scared, they put up a facade, a false front, and they pretend that's who they are. Sometimes, you wear that front for so long that you start to believe it's you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But that's when things start to become uncomfortable. You see yourself talking to people in a way you normally wouldn't, and your worldview begins to shudder in an abstract way; you can tell something is wrong, but you're not quite sure why everything seems distorted and time ceases flowing in the patterns you remember. It's a clear upset, but you're too busy holding the facade to notice the damage.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I realized recently I've been putting up a bit of a "tough front." I experienced some pains I wasn't ready for, and instead of taking them and reacting to them, I rejected them and held them off by charging forward like a bull. That's not the best way to handle it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I've been playing myself off as being more aggressive than I actually am, and for a little while, I was determined just to blaze through this last semester at community college in the least social way possible. That's a bad idea, and if I want to move forward in my life in a constructive way, I can't hide in plain sight by setting my gaze to a glare and hoping everyone leaves me alone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So, I'd like to make two statements about myself. One of them will seem silly, but it's important to me. The other is not silly, and it needs to be taken seriously.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So first off: I'm a huge softy, and I don't hate people. I say I hate people, all of the time, at least a few times a day, but that's a lie. I really do like and care about people, and denying this is likely a defense mechanism to keep from feeling hurt when someone uses my kindness and takes my compassion and plays it like a game. Or when I'm treated like dirt every shift by customers at work.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">My second statement is huge, and it's going to require some linking to back it up, unfortunately. I identify as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisexuality" target="_blank">bisexual</a>. This means I'm attracted to both men and women, as well as people who don't identify in the gender binary.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I have a feeling some people may read this and say "no, you're not. You're just confused. You've never even been with anyone before. How would you know?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This argument has always seemed easy to unravel to me. If you're asking this question, you are assuming that the default sexuality for humans should be straight or heterosexual.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If you're looking for a great jumping off point to understand bisexuality, or proof that it exists (because bi-erasure is a problem) <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/23/magazine/the-scientific-quest-to-prove-bisexuality-exists.html?_r=0" target="_blank">here </a>is a great feature article on it from the New York Times.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Bean out.</span>The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-56889174826701871592015-01-14T21:48:00.000-05:002015-01-14T22:01:36.645-05:00I finally understand postmodernism<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Shocking, yes, but true: I now have a grasp on postmodernism as a philosophy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I already had a grasp on postmodernist art and literature as a sort of deconstruction of traditional forms (<b>Mrs. Dalloway</b> by Virginia Woolf is one of my favorite books) but the meaning behind postmodernism in philosophy always escaped me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I assumed it was a cruel joke by philosophers trying to confuse poor kiddos like me who just want to know how stuff works. My philosophy-minded friend and fellow blogger, T.X. Watson (link in the blogs I like section) has informed me that's kind of true. Postmodernism is often funny because there are variances in interpretation and oftentimes it seems like no one knows what the hell is going on.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Today I was given one key phrase that made the fog of philosophy clear a little bit.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Watson said, simply enough, that postmodernism is a rejection of meta-narrative. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">At first, this made no sense to me, because I only knew literary meta-narrative, and not philosophical meta-narrative (they use a lot of the same words with different uses and it pisses me off to no end because it infrequently bars my way to understanding things.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Turns out the meta-narrative in philosophy is the idea that there is one underlying truth that remains constant throughout the progression of existence (give or take). French philosopher Jean-François Lyotard coined the idea in 1984 that the post-modern condition was a mistrust of the meta-narrative.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Watson pointed out, "It's funny because one of the first obvious implications of postmodernism is that mutually incompatible definitions of postmodernism are all legitimate within their own context."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So yeah, that was easy, I just needed the right wording to understand it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">As an atheist with a basic grasp of philosophy, I guess that makes me a postmodernist. </span>The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-83021572806084274432015-01-13T10:33:00.000-05:002015-01-14T21:19:44.063-05:00A really accurate metaphor about gendering strangers<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Mainstream culture embraces a gender binary, or the idea that there are only two genders, men and women, and that a person must fit into one of these two labels.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I recently had the opportunity to talk with a trans woman about her experiences with a group of people working on the Vagina Monologues, and she told us the perfect metaphor about passing gender.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I don't have the exact quote, I should have written it down, but I honestly wasn't preparing to write anything about the conversation we all had. However, I do remember the basic idea behind what she said.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">She said that it's like people walk around with a checklist in their heads. The checklist has two sides, the two sides of the binary, and their mainstream stereotypes for each gender (men have lower voices, women have less body hair, etc.). She said that when someone meets someone for the first time, they check off the qualifiers for the gender in their head, and whatever side has the most checks, is the how the person genders you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This kind of blew my mind as to how gender stereotyping actually works. I think it's really accurate. And clearly, it's very harmful.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Don't gender people. Don't assume you know how they identify. It can be harmful and hurtful to them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The easiest way to not gender someone verbally is to use "they" pronouns unless otherwise informed by that person. And, if you do misgender someone, don't make a big deal out of it, apologize, correct your language and move forward.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I need to add a mandatory I'm cis gender notification here because trans representation comes from the trans community first, and my voice is less important to hear as an ally of the trans community.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Here's a good link to trans voices and resources: <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/nov/29/transgender-advice-best-resources-online">http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/nov/29/transgender-advice-best-resources-online</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I haven't checked them all out individually, but it seems as good a place to start as any.</span>The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-7932176370693286362014-12-31T22:01:00.000-05:002014-12-31T22:01:14.641-05:00Annie is important and The Interview can shove it.<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Greetings everyone!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It's New Years Eve, and it's also my second vegan anniversary (yay!) and I'm having a low key night posting a low key blog post.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I saw <u>Annie </u>today with a friend of mine, and it was really great. Quvenzhané Wallis was amazing (but we knew that already), and all of the other actors did a really good job too. They got creative with the implementation of the music, and they modernized it for 2014. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I recommend putting some money into this movie; it's getting a bad rep and it doesn't deserve that. That's saying something because I don't particularly like musicals.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Quvenzhané has been getting a lot of crap because people don't know how to pronounce her name. More accurately, people often won't learn how to pronounce her name. So here's a link to her pronouncing it herself <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7rR-qRVLD0" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Wallis' past roles include <u>Beasts of the Southern Wild</u> and <u>12 Years a Slave</u>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And while I'm talking about movies, I want to talk a bit about <u>The Interview</u> and the ridiculous amount of viewings it's gotten.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The main issue with </span><u style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">The Interview</u><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> isn't that Sony initially canceled screenings of it. The issue is that it's a racist film that dehumanizes the struggles of MILLIONS of people. The film shouldn't have been made, and it's a terrible example of artistic freedom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You know what it's a great example of? Damaging media. So everyone can shut up about it being some beacon of patriotism to see this film. It's harmful, it's racist and it should go away.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If you're interested in donating to North Korean refugees, link <a href="http://www.libertyinnorthkorea.org/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I suppose that's a bit of a hard note to end on, but it's a hard knock life. (Get it?) No but seriously, 2015 should be a year for deconstructing the harmful content in media, and in conversation, and in academia. Come on guys, we got this. </span>The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-68047448471125784382014-11-30T19:55:00.000-05:002014-11-30T19:55:40.821-05:00Wilson should have been indicted, and Ferguson is a race issue.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7ykYu9s9qE1dvyDjW2EcGcg2VrEfhww6RhypgQwXbEMrWlMlpBkfMf6iJkAjJiuhsC8dtwQD40gOG-0_cmTtjFu5XYNsknrwtgcVnBUdarvy0xin7ojl7nh0Ny8fcViLNtE3i7JqSSI5/s1600/Ferguson+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7ykYu9s9qE1dvyDjW2EcGcg2VrEfhww6RhypgQwXbEMrWlMlpBkfMf6iJkAjJiuhsC8dtwQD40gOG-0_cmTtjFu5XYNsknrwtgcVnBUdarvy0xin7ojl7nh0Ny8fcViLNtE3i7JqSSI5/s1600/Ferguson+image.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://media4.s-nbcnews.com/i/newscms/2014_33/622006/140816-ferguson-march-2142_3de16bd8b419bdb6b62b23b7af5f73fc.jpg</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm writing this post later than I wanted to, but I think it's appropriate in conjunction with the "Hands Up, Walk Out," movement that will be taking place tomorrow, December 1, link <a href="http://fergusonaction.com/hands-up-walk-out/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I am outlining two views I have on Ferguson. (1) Darren Wilson should have been indicted. (2) Ferguson is absolutely a race issue.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Note: When I refer to "Ferguson," I specifically mean the events of August 9, when Darren Wilson was confirmed to have shot Michael Brown, the ensuing investigation, and the response around the world.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm going to keep this post simple and outline the bare minimum of what I need to prove both of my points. Following this, I will link readers to resources made by others to corroborate my points, as well as resources to aid those effected by Ferguson.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">First, here are the facts of the case with links to confirm my accuracy. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Michael Brown received seven gunshot wounds from a gun discharged Darren Wilson on August 9. Link to autopsy report <a href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/newsgraphics/2014/11/24/ferguson-evidence/assets/reports/michael-brown-private-autopsy-report.pdf" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/newsgraphics/2014/11/24/ferguson-evidence/assets/reports/2014-5143-autopsy-report.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Darren Wilson was coming off of a sick case when the altercation with Michael Brown occurred. Wilson stopped Brown because Brown was walking down the middle of the street. Wilson did not stop Brown on suspicion of the convenience store robbery. Here's the Ferguson police chief stating this as fact <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/15/us/missouri-teen-shooting/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">What happened during the shooting is not clear. Brown was shot seven times, and Wilson was later discharged from Northwest Healthcare of Christian Hospital with a facial contusion (a bruise) and a prescription for twenty tablets of 500 mg Naprosyn. Link to injury photos <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/24/darren-wilson-injury-photos_n_6216208.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Link to medical report <a href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/newsgraphics/2014/11/24/ferguson-evidence/assets/reports/darren-wilson-drug-testing-results.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It is important to note that the photo taken of the discoloration on the lateral base of Wilson's skull has been confirmed to be a birthmark and was not reported as an injury in the medical report.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The eyewitness testimonies about what happened during the confrontation are conflicting, however 12 of 14 eyewitnesses said that Brown had his hands up when he was shot, and he was not near the police vehicle. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/table-finalfinalup4.png" target="_blank">Here</a> is a chart outlining the different witness testimonies from the indictment trial. 12 of 15 witnesses who answered the question "did Michael Brown reach into or otherwise directly interact with the police car" say that he did. However, 15 of 20 witnesses who answered the question "was Michael Brown running away from Darren Wilson when fired upon" said he was running away, and 17 of 19 witnesses asked the question "did Michael Brown face Darren Wilson when fired upon" said that he did face Wilson. Wilson is the only named witness on the chart, and he said that Brown did turn when he fired at him, and that Brown did interact directly with the police car. Wilson did not say whether Brown was running away from the car or not.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Wilson was not carrying a taser during the incident because he found them to be uncomfortable. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">So those are the facts of the case. Want to take a look at the transcript yourself? Link <a href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/newsgraphics/2014/11/24/ferguson-assets/grand-jury-testimony.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>. I'd like to credit the source of these links and the ideas for talking points to a very well written viral post about Ferguson titled <a href="http://neuronbomb.wordpress.com/2014/11/28/the-ferguson-masterpost-how-to-argue-eloquently-back-yourself-up-with-facts/" target="_blank">The Ferguson Masterpost: How to Argue Eloquently & Back Yourself Up With Facts</a> by Aida Manduley. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Based on the facts, I argue that Wilson should have been charged, at the very least, for unlawfully discharging a firearm and given a trial. Brown was not near the police car when he was shot, Wilson received very minor injuries, and Wilson was just trying to get Brown out of the street; Wilson did not suspect Brown of any crime and Brown was not resisting arrest. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-the-ferguson-grand-jury-process-works/2014/11/24/46599f9a-73f9-11e4-a589-1b102c2f81d0_story.html" target="_blank">Here's </a>an article on how a Grand Jury works.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">As far as the possibility that Brown struck Wilson, Wilson was in a car and certainly had options for handling the situation besides shooting Brown after Brown had already stepped away from the police car.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Ferguson Police Department didn't file an incident report after Wilson killed Brown.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">When developing a viewpoint on the outcome of the indictment, it is also important to look at the conflicts of interest regarding the Prosecuting Attorney of the Wilson case.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The prosecutor's name is Robert McCulloch, and he has conflicts of interests with the case that would have gotten him thrown of a jury, nevermind permitting him to be the prosecuting attorney. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">McCulloch's father was a police officer and was killed on the job in 1964 by an African-American man, when McCulloch was 12, McCulloch's spokesperson Ed Magee confirmed to CNN. In addition to his father, McCulloch's brother, an uncle and a cousin all served with the St. Louis Police Department, and his mother worked as a clerk at the department, Magee said.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">The article quoting this is <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/19/us/ferguson-prosecutor-mcculloch/" target="_blank">Concerns are about prosecutor in Michael Brown case</a> by Leigh Ann Caldwell of CNN.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So, Darren Wilson should have been indicted based on the facts and arguments stated above, and the indictment trial should be critically viewed based on conflict of interest.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">My second argument is that Ferguson is absolutely a race issue. Let's take a look at racial incident bingo, created by CG Brown.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_OsUzDlPZ7CRM8V0vf-HZO3PZcWNLAJ-Gu3QatBZqT-RBJT3lD1_H_62UgqupMD2KxKB1qmXJsxFXEy6N1Z7gkmMgRoTCnXz4NUq15UG_yxf95j-Ur2zHOEo2ErCpwcd7RLGqww1yTzJ/s1600/HOLY+SHIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_OsUzDlPZ7CRM8V0vf-HZO3PZcWNLAJ-Gu3QatBZqT-RBJT3lD1_H_62UgqupMD2KxKB1qmXJsxFXEy6N1Z7gkmMgRoTCnXz4NUq15UG_yxf95j-Ur2zHOEo2ErCpwcd7RLGqww1yTzJ/s1600/HOLY+SHIT.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Take a look at this. Check out the language on this chart. Have you used any of these arguments?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">If you have: check your privilege. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">It's our responsibility to check our privilege as white people who have a history of taking land from Native Americans, importing human beings and using them for slave labor, disenfranchising human beings after outlawing slavery, using demonizing language and stereotypes to blame oppression on the victims, justifying higher arrest rates of black people (who are a smaller percent of the population) than white people by saying it's just because black people who commit more crimes (which is a bullshit argument), further victim blaming, and cultural appropriation and attribution of POC (people of color) accomplishments to white people. That's just to name a few transgressions. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The language used by white people on the side of Ferguson police department and Wilson when looking at this case is inherently racist, and yet people dare to argue this isn't an issue of race? The arguments claiming this isn't an issue of race are RACIST.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Saying that Brown, a kid younger than I am, looked like a "demon" is using language that has historically been used as a black stereotype and is RACIST and does not make his death okay.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Similarly, the use of the word "thug" in justifying Brown's shooting is another example of historically RACIST language, and it does not make his death okay. Calling him a "punk" doesn't make it okay either.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The fact that he uses marijuana doesn't justify his death either. Using marijuana doesn't make you a bad person. It makes you a person who uses marijuana. Big deal. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Both of the terms are DEHUMANIZING and do not make his death okay.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Brown had a family and a future, and if you're going to apply the argument that because he allegedly robbed a convenience store and may have gotten into a physical altercation with Wilson that it's okay that he's dead, you're making a terrible argument.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I want you to apply that argument to everyone who has ever robbed a convenience store, and I want you to apply this to every single person who has ever assaulted an officer. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I want you to think about how many dead children there would be, children who could have had a bright future and life and could have changed the world, if you applied this ridiculous argument. And then I want you to think about how many dead adults there would be.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I want to think about how many historical revolutions against oppressive states would have failed because of this argument.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Allegations of robbing a store and striking an officer does not justify the death of an eighteen-year-old American. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I want you to <a href="https://abagond.wordpress.com/2014/08/26/a-list-of-unarmed-blacks-killed-by-police/" target="_blank">count the dead</a>, and then I want you to check your white privilege. I'm working to check mine.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Racism is alive and thriving in America, and it's going to remain in America until we (1) acknowledge there is racism in America and (2) actively work to combat racism.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Want ideas to help Ferguson? Link <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/19/how-to-help-ferguson_n_5688541.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Want to join the cause? Link <a href="http://fergusonaction.com/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">#blacklivesmatter</span>The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-42540243814055664232014-11-04T17:10:00.001-05:002014-11-04T17:11:33.878-05:00Voting doesn't matter my ass!!<h2>
<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;">Prepare yourself...</span></h2>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The idea has been presented that voting doesn't matter, and I'm going to crush it.</span></h3>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Actually, what's been presented is a Facebook post asking if there is value to voting. The post I'm responding to says that proponents or opponents of voting will either use a "utility" argument or a "duty" argument in order to sway the other members of a conversation to support their views (to vote, or not to vote).</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Vote. Please vote. I'm gonna tell you why. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I speak a lot about complacency in my writings and blogposts, and I can see in the facebook conversation I'm reading that there's a whole bunch of complacency.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Some members of society, including myself (and Lawrence Lessig, watch his talk on enacting change <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/lawrence_lessig_the_unstoppable_walk_to_political_reform" target="_blank">here</a>) hold a belief that one of the MANY reasons it's difficult to enact change in the United States is that a large population of the United States believes that Congress and big government are doing poorly, but very few think they can do anything to change it. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"</span><span class="talk-transcript__fragment" data-time="448687" id="t-448687" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Custom', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Now politicians and pundits tell you,</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #555555; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Custom', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span class="talk-transcript__fragment" data-time="450703" id="t-450703" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Custom', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">there's nothing we can do about this issue,</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #555555; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Custom', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span class="talk-transcript__fragment" data-time="452523" id="t-452523" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Custom', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">Americans don't care about it,</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #555555; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Custom', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span class="talk-transcript__fragment" data-time="453859" id="t-453859" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Custom', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">but the reason for that is</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #555555; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Custom', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span class="talk-transcript__fragment" data-time="456155" id="t-456155" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Custom', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">that 91 percent of Americans</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #555555; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Custom', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span class="talk-transcript__fragment" data-time="458009" id="t-458009" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Custom', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">think there's nothing that can be done about this issue.</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #555555; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Custom', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span class="talk-transcript__fragment" data-time="462531" id="t-462531" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Custom', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">And it's this gap between 96 and 91</span><span style="background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #555555; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Custom', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"> </span><span class="talk-transcript__fragment" data-time="465353" id="t-465353" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; box-sizing: border-box; color: #555555; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Custom', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">that explains our politics of resignation," said Lessig. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Funny. If you don't do anything to enact change, change isn't going to happen.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">But no, it's not as simple as that. The first step to enacting change is to decide to change shit. The next step is to come up with a comprehensive plan. In my case, the next step is to choose a comprehensive plan developed by a public intellectual that I like.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">But I don't want to start here. I want to start at the state level elections, which are part of the midterm elections.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A lot of the legislation that affects your everyday life happens on the state level. Is there corruption on the state level? Sure. But it's usually more quid pro quo than the corruption going on at the national level, because the corruption on the national level is more an issue of money in politics, which I comprehensively rant about on a daily basis. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State level elections need people who care about their districts and want to work for the good of the citizens. Now, if you make an informed vote in a state election for the state senator working in your district, you're GOING TO HAVE AN EFFECT ON LEGISLATION PASSED IN YOUR DISTRICT. Smaller amounts of people go out to vote, and your vote has a greater impact.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State elections are soooo close so often, but nobody really pays attention to them. We piss on the national elections all the time, but we don't give nearly enough press and care to the elections happening closest to home.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />So, yes, on the state level, your vote absolutely matters. You can vote on ballot questions and share your views, and you can vote for the candidate who holds the same platform as you, whether it be red, blue, green or rainbow.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The biggest issue in state voting is that we need more poli sci students running and working on the state level to improve infrastructure and help the people, and we need a greater circulation of officers, instead of one incumbent making the same lousy decisions year after year. We need citizens to pay attention to the state senate as well as the national senate because state senates also work with Congress.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">NOW.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">National elections are a shit show. I get that.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To those of you following the money in politics issue, you know why. I'm not gonna to get into that here. If you want to know what I'm talking about, go to this link: </span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://beanalive.blogspot.com/2014/07/why-i-back-mayday-pac.html">http://beanalive.blogspot.com/2014/07/why-i-back-mayday-pac.html</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">This outlines a plan to help fix the national elections. It's pretty damn cool.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">But your vote still matters in national elections. Because elections are still decided by votes?! Yes, the electoral college is fucked up. Yes, dark money is ruining politics. But you're not going to get anything done if you don't educate yourself on the issues and get to the polls.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">So yeah, agree with me or not, my view is stop being a pessimistic houseplant and get to the damn polls.</span>The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-7389842049960027732014-09-10T17:25:00.001-04:002014-09-10T17:26:11.350-04:00#internetslowdown<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM4gSQuH_WfW25iphKyukYZ9b7AAA5I79KrUx7y8Ee5q-c8x2eNfCfWn8neLFL128VJ9yEoj7iwOYpdg1BjiwT5OSpplgMSScHX3ClHVlNKwSZWktcvLx75B5zTBdEbAF6maX2iRGSCIWK/s1600/slowdown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM4gSQuH_WfW25iphKyukYZ9b7AAA5I79KrUx7y8Ee5q-c8x2eNfCfWn8neLFL128VJ9yEoj7iwOYpdg1BjiwT5OSpplgMSScHX3ClHVlNKwSZWktcvLx75B5zTBdEbAF6maX2iRGSCIWK/s1600/slowdown.jpg" height="334" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I couldn't figure out how to upload the icon, so here is the general idea. For more information on net neutrality, go to <a href="https://www.battleforthenet.com/sept10th/">https://www.battleforthenet.com/sept10th/</a> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-35246667942255261012014-09-08T08:39:00.000-04:002014-09-08T08:39:39.137-04:00Massachusetts gubernatorial primaries: Democrat style<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I don't know if any of you have noticed, but I have a very pronounced liberal bias in all of my writings on this blog. Alas, that's what the blog is for; I can hardly write these things when I'm putting together the student paper I write for.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">(A little self promotion check us out at <a href="http://observer.necc.mass.edu/">http://observer.necc.mass.edu</a>)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Ahem so yeah the Mass. primaries are tomorrow, and I've done zero research on the candidates, so I'm getting my ass in gear and giving you the rundown so that I can decide who I'm voting for.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I'm pretty unfamiliar with state elections, so I'm going to do my best here. Also, at the moment I only have time to review the gubernatorial candidates. This is the ballot I am basing my research off of, and I think it's the right one for those voting democrat this election cycle: <a href="http://wheredoivotema.com/bal/BallotOut.aspx?btcode=D&ctcode=180&wno=0&prno=1">http://wheredoivotema.com/bal/BallotOut.aspx?btcode=D&ctcode=180&wno=0&prno=1</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Governor:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.berwickforgovernor.com/" target="_blank">Don Berwick</a>: He was Obama's chief of medicare, and he seems to be down with some environmental reforms for energy specifically. He's the dark horse of the Democrats, and he's been stirring up stuff with his single payer health plan (still trying to figure out what that is; check the bottom of the post for more info), and he spent a lot of the last <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/09/03/massachusetts-democratic-gubernatorial-debate-tonight/L61HLUSzMe7f8VccWPONRO/story.html" target="_blank">gubernatorial debate</a> stating that the other two candidates were all bark and no bite. Credit to my friend Katie for sending me this info.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.marthacoakley.com/about" target="_blank">Martha Coakley</a>: Now of course I'm immediately thrilled at the idea of having a woman run Mass., being a woman myself, but let's look at this more closely. She was the first female Attorney General for Mass., and she went against the Defense of Marriage Act while she held the office. Okay, so far so good. She's an advocate of gun control, worker's rights and women's rights.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="http://stevegrossman.com/meet-steve/" target="_blank">Steve Grossman</a>: Grossman was the treasurer for Mass., runs (ran?) a small business and union shop for 35 years. He's been the chairman of the Mass. Democratic primary and was a national part chair under Clinton. He's got a cool section on empowering the creative economy and helping artists afford to be artists, and his issues are similar to those of Berwick and Coakley: energy, women, veterans and education. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Of course I'm pulling all of this information off of the candidates sites, so it's inherently biased to favor them. Let's see if I can pull at least one piece of dirt on each candidate for the sake of balance.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> Berwick: The Boston Herald Reports that he called the death of a man run over by an illegal immigrant to be an anecdote (I'm assuming the point is that the man didn't have a license). The story was brought up by WBZ's Dan Rea, and Berwick called the mention of the story an anecdote to dismiss it. Full story <a href="http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_politics/2014/08/don_berwick_regrets_calling_tragedy_anecdote" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> Coakley: In 2013 Coakley was investigated by the FEC over political fund management. The complaint was filed by a state Republican. She had a similar inquiry in 2010. The question was whether she had been using state election funds for a federal election and also reconciled balance sheets that made it difficult to find out whether the funds were properly used or not. Full story <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/11/12/attorney-general-martha-coakley-once-faced-federal-election-investigation/cDgmkDtHVzpzBcpqhlmGBO/story.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> Grossman: The Boston Herald ratted on him for getting around 100,000 dollars of help from his mom for his campaign, but other than that I couldn't find anything. Poorly written and completely biased story bite on that <a href="http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/columnists/howie_carr/2014/08/carr_steve_grossman_and_handouts_from_mom" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So, friends, I don't know who I'm going to vote for yet. But I'll know by tomorrow. Good luck to you all, and don't forget to vote!</span><br />
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The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-42362376780283470502014-08-11T21:23:00.003-04:002014-08-11T21:23:57.267-04:00Mental illness and being aware<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Robin Williams died today, and the cause is likely to be suicide. It's not confirmed, but because the cause of death was asphyxiation, it's likely.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I suppose I'm a little more torn up about it than I thought I would be. Williams played a substantial role in my childhood, and he voiced a character named Batty in one of my favorite movies of all time, <b>Ferngully</b>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I think the movie of his that stuck with me the most was probably <b>What Dreams May Come</b>. It's a film about mental illness and about dealing with grief and loss. I remember thinking it was an odd few, but it's popped into my head a lot throughout the years.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">What I think is important to take from this is to use it as a reminder that mental illness happens to everyone, and that it's important to take care of the ones you love and never condemn someone for having one. Mental illness is surprisingly common. And it doesn't always manifest in obvious ways.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Historically, mental illness has been regarded as a taboo, as something that is discussed, but perhaps not often enough and not in the correct way. Harmful words that I have also been guilty of using, such as "crazy" and "insane" should not be used, and it's important to regard everyone's state of mind, even when your own isn't the best.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Anyways, I don't feel like going into detail much, let's just not turn this into another actor tragedy. Let's look upon this as a reminder that life is short, but every life is precious and incredibly important.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Please, everyone, appreciate your loved ones for everything in their soul, dark and light, and never lose hope.</span><br />
<br />The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-45859328161586475612014-07-23T18:28:00.001-04:002014-07-23T18:28:43.131-04:00Market Basket madness<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCIhdFmizVkiWrmhAcwhkfvoYzWuAocAtT-GDLHcmKUzYZBxqN2bLsXbDIvgp4k_58cqGO6ey_uFAJ8drJ8zNMV9Z1CDoNWdmxXvz-5sTGyfsN5QroxsIyQaJLFTgZ87SWBZ1DeHG0SF5/s1600/we+are+market+basket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCIhdFmizVkiWrmhAcwhkfvoYzWuAocAtT-GDLHcmKUzYZBxqN2bLsXbDIvgp4k_58cqGO6ey_uFAJ8drJ8zNMV9Z1CDoNWdmxXvz-5sTGyfsN5QroxsIyQaJLFTgZ87SWBZ1DeHG0SF5/s1600/we+are+market+basket.jpg" height="118" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Market Basket is owned by the Demoulas family. Two cousins are shareholders in the businesses Artie T. and Arthur S.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Artie T. is known to be the beloved champion of the worker. Artie S. wants to wrangle control from him, and did indeed successfully oust Artie T.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This made Market Basket employees angry because they like what Artie T. has done for them, providing fair wages, benefits and bonuses.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The warehouse workers and truck drivers are on strike, so no fresh produce or meats are making it to the store. The employees of Market Basket have even started a fund to help the warehouse workers weather the storm of the strike. You can donate <a href="http://wearemarketbasket.com/a-fund-to-help-our-fellow-associates-in-the-warehouse/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">More information on this issue can be found at <a href="http://wearemarketbasket.com/">http://wearemarketbasket.com/</a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">My thoughts go out to the striking employees. Good luck!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Oh, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Market-Basket/136649323208808?fref=photo" target="_blank">like </a>them on F</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">acebook</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">.</span>The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-17837098006375429592014-07-18T12:22:00.000-04:002014-07-18T12:23:18.135-04:00Steven Wise is a pancake?<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In one of my older blog posts, <a href="http://beanalive.blogspot.com/2014/06/warning-mental-overload.html" target="_blank">Warning: mental overload</a>, I briefly discussed something I had stumbled upon called the <a href="http://www.nonhumanrights.org/" target="_blank">Nonhuman Rights Project</a>, a group trying to secure legal rights for other species. </span><br />
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Needless to say, I was a fan immediately. </span><br />
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Currently, they're working on securing legal rights for chimpanzees, and they are using a particular chimp, <a href="http://www.nonhumanrightsproject.org/2014/06/07/ny-lawsuitstommys-appeal-documents/" target="_blank">Tommy</a>, to achieve this. Other Chimps are also currently in court to secure the writ of habeas corpus, meaning they cannot be detained without reason. They would have rights to their own bodies. </span><br />
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So I got an email from them yesterday from the project saying that one of the heads of the project, <a href="http://www.nonhumanrightsproject.org/steve-wise/" target="_blank">Steven Wise</a>, would be appearing on the Colbert Report. You can watch the interview <a href="http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/videos/70ezhu/steven-m--wise" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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Fun fact, Jane Goodall is a member of this movement as well.</span><br />
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The website talks about achieving rights for non-humans, not Chimps specifically, but when Colbert asked in his typical devils advocate style about giving rights to all animals, Wise said they were only advocating rights to Chimps, and that he didn't believe all animals should have rights.</span><br />
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Wait a minute. What? It's called the non-human rights project for goodness sake!</span><br />
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The website says, as its mission statement:</span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; line-height: 20px;">The Nonhuman Rights Project is the only organization working toward actual LEGAL rights for members of species other than our own. Our mission is to change the common law status of at least some nonhuman animals from mere “things,” which lack the capacity to possess any legal right, to “persons,” who possess such fundamental rights as bodily integrity and bodily liberty, and those other legal rights to which evolving standards of morality, scientific discovery, and human experience entitle them. Our first cases were filed in 2013. Your support of this work is deeply appreciated.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So what's the deal?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I can understand why you'd start with chimps, because chimps have incredible similarities to humans, and will likely create more sympathy in other people.</span><br />
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But chimps aren't the only intelligent beings. Many non-humans have emotions and desires, and even the most simple creature has a nervous system capable of feeling pain.</span><br />
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I think that if Wise was going to go on Colbert as the face of the movement, he should have stuck to his guns. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-38499440391239983732014-07-09T20:07:00.000-04:002014-07-09T20:07:01.127-04:00Why I back the Mayday PAC<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Lawrence Lessig is a cool dude, and I've talked about him before. If you want to get a little background of what I've already discussed regarding Lessig and his movement against money in politics, check out my earlier posts <a href="http://beanalive.blogspot.com/2014/01/rootstriker.html" target="_blank">Rootstriker</a> and</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://beanalive.blogspot.com/2014/01/fourth-anniversary-of-citizens-united.html" target="_blank">Fourth anniversary of Citizens United</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Lessig is the Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership at Harvard Law School, and he is the director of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University. He's got a BA in economics, a BS in management (both from the University of Pennsylvania), and he has an MA in philosophy from Cambridge, and a JD from Yale. Needless to say, I am jealous of his intellectual prowess. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I met Lessig when he was doing a talk at my college in conjunction with a man named Jeffrey Clements, co-founder of <a href="http://freespeechforpeople.org/" target="_blank">Free Speech for People</a>. He signed by book "To Faith- with hope & thanks." I appreciated the name pun. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">If you want a little background on their stance, check out Lessig's TED talk <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/lawrence_lessig_we_the_people_and_the_republic_we_must_reclaim#t-205262" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Anyways, both men are against the results of <a href="http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/09pdf/08-205.pdf" target="_blank">Citizens United v. Federal Election Committee (2010)</a>, t</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">he results of which allow corporations and unions to create Super PACS (political action committees) that raise gross amounts of money to support specific candidates.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Recently,</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/13pdf/12-536_e1pf.pdf" target="_blank">McCutcheon v. FEC (2014)</a>, a case closely related to Citizens United, struck down aggregate limits on independent donations to campaigns. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">So why is this a bad thing? If people want to donate their money to a candidate, they should be unable to, unhindered.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">There's omitted variable bias in that statement. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Yes, on a surface level, allowing people to spend what they want would be allowing free speech. Money talks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But a lot of money shouts, and it shouts down smaller amounts of money into oblivion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">What I mean by this is that oftentimes Super PAC's and large individual donations shut down the donations of everyday citizens because the larger donations allow for more advertising for candidates they support, and grassroots candidates who may not be as wealthy or connected have almost zero chance of being heard or elected.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Super PAC's specifically are dangerous because corporations will fund who they want to be elected for Congress, senators and representatives who will work for the corporations as opposed to for the people, and then these newly elected officials will pass or block legislation to help these corporations. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Lessig calls this "dependence corruption" in his book <i>Republic Lost</i> (Twelve, 2011) on page 17 of this fantastic book outlining the corruption in Congress because of money in politics, and it entails that members of Congress need this funding from the "gift" economy in order to stay in power and ensure themselves a comfortable career consulting and lobbying for these large corporations in the future.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Now, the problem with corporations having so much weight in congress is that the act for profits, not for safety and equality. Just take a look at the current AgGag battle where journalists are trying to fight legislation making it ILLEGAL for journalists to take pictures of animal cruelty and pollution. Will Potter is leading a campaign against that; learn more <a href="http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/fast-company-drone-farm-ag-gag/7880/" target="_blank">here</a>. Also, think about the recent <a href="http://online.wsj.com/articles/rep-murphy-unconvinced-gm-didnt-make-effort-to-cover-up-bad-decisions-1403101342" target="_blank">GM starter fault cover-up</a> or perhaps just start with <a href="http://home.howstuffworks.com/real-estate/buying-home/mortgage16.htm" target="_blank">Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac</a> and the bubble burst of 2008. National and transnational corporations can be reckless when it comes to the well-being of consumers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So that's why I believe corporations should not be able to form PAC's and have such influence in our Congress and therefore legislation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Now, I wrote all of this to explain why I like the <a href="https://mayday.us/" target="_blank">Mayday PAC</a>. This is a crowd-funded PAC (over 50,000 donated), who's goal is "electing a Congress committed to fundamental reform by 2016." Lessig wants to elect a Congress who will pass legislation to clean up money in politics and reset aggregate limits on donations and eliminate corporate influence.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Following are the goals outlined by the website: <a href="https://mayday.us/the-plan/">https://mayday.us/the-plan/</a></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #313945; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.3em; line-height: 1.4em;">Our plan for reform has four stages:</span><br />
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.2em; margin-top: 1.2em;">
In 2014, we will pilot the idea of a superPAC intervening in elections to support candidates who favor reform. The objective of this pilot intervention will be to both (a) convince Congress of the salience of this issue to voters, and (b) determine how best to intervene to move voters on the basis of this issue.</div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.2em; margin-top: 1.2em;">
Based on what we learn in 2014, in 2016 we will engage in as many races as we need to win a majority in Congress who have either cosponsored or committed to cosponsor fundamental reform legislation.</div>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.2em; margin-top: 1.2em;">
In 2017, we will then press to get Congress to pass, and the President to sign, legislation that fundamentally reforms the way elections are funded.</div>
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After a Congress has been elected under this new system, we will push for whatever constitutional reform is necessary to secure the gains from this reform.</div>
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</ol>
<h2 id="fundamental-reform-in-the-way-elections-are-funded" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #313945; font-family: Merriweather, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 1.3em; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.4em; margin: 0px; padding: 1em 0px 0.5em;">
“Fundamental reform in the way elections are funded”</h2>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">And it is already fully funded for the first steps. They raised over $7 mil. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So, readers, what do you think? I'm down for this. </span></div>
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The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-35966628303690761532014-06-30T16:11:00.000-04:002014-06-30T16:11:17.027-04:00Speciesism and (unrelated) newspapers<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I have two things on my mind today: speciesism and newspapers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">For those who don't know, speciesism is a term used by people who think the lives of humans and non-humans have equal value: a cat or pig or mouse has the same value as a human. Generally, speciesism refers to the believe that humans are the dominant species.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I believe speciesism is a problem, but it is very difficult to convince others that it is. You have to believe in your core that all life has equal value. Although, clearly, I care more about beings which possess a nervous system allowing them to feel, more so than I do a flower or a tree.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The main reason I'm vegan is because I've seen enough evidence of non-human suffering and presence of non-human emotions and personalities that I believe they should have rights to their own bodies.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">An argument presented to me is that non-humans cannot make the same decisions as humans, and they cannot express their desires to us, so the rights they have don't really have to be on the same level.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Although I see where this idea comes from; non-humans have different methods of communications and their emotions are not expressed plainly on their face, discomfort is clear when repeated artificial insemination and lifelong containment are forced upon hundreds of thousands of female cows, or when family units that happen in nature are torn apart by factory farming. Or when animals are killed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Non-sequitur: although "print" paper is dying, I've decided that online journalism will ultimately be better because of it's variety and because it will help the environment by cutting down on paper production. The trick will be separating fact from fiction, which remains a problem in print journalism anyway.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Just needed to clear my head. </span>The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-63826593001156373262014-06-11T20:51:00.002-04:002014-06-11T20:51:17.161-04:00Pondering Activism<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Clearly this post isn't going to a heavy hitter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I was just sitting here, reading through my plethora of emails about petitions for causes, when I started wondering how exactly I ended up being an activist, and why everyone else doesn't want to be one too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I think that everyone could find at least one cause they would relate to on a deep level, and I think there's a lot out there to find interesting and to enrich life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Decidedly, I want to map out the pros and cons of activism.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Cons:</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">It takes up time. You can't be an activist through osmosis. You have to research and communicate and clarify, and you have to exert your opinion and personality.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">It can be dangerous. If people don't like your opinion or it endangers their place in the power hierarchy, you can make some enemies. Check out <a href="http://www.greenisthenewred.com/blog/" target="_blank">Green is the New Red</a> for details on that.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">People may find you extreme: because activism is sometimes painted as being an extreme thing. Hell, caring and being knowledgeable about an issue and frequently discussing it can get you branded as extreme, without even getting involved. It's a matter of perception.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Pros:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">It makes you feel good. Caring about something and doing something about that emotion is one of the most rewarding experiences ever.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You're making the world a better place: how is the world going to get better if we don't take action to improve it?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You're helping other persons (including other species) who may be suffering: not everyone is allotted the power to stand up for themselves. I am fortunate in that it's unlikely anyone will harm me for running my mouth. It's fortunate I can run my mouth at all.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You make connections, both business and personal, which is great, because connections are great and are a basic for happiness.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">You feel like you're a part of something greater than yourself: you're quite literally not alone. There is a community of people who care.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So, today, I'm advocating for activism. Find something you care about and share it with the world, because how else can we really achieve freedom and happiness if we exist in a system where we have no power?</span></div>
The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-10963843902944027142014-06-06T20:27:00.000-04:002014-06-06T20:27:40.615-04:00Warning: mental overloadI'm facing a problem as a writer and activist where there is so much to talk about that I'm not even sure what to focus on. In response, I'm going to write a "greatest hits" blog post on what I've been focusing on for the past month.<br />
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<b style="color: #274e13;">Veganism: </b>The legalization of other species as persons has become a fascinating notion to me. A <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/innovators/2014/05/140528-lori-marino-dolphins-animals-personhood-blackfish-taiji-science-world/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social&utm_content=link_fb20140528news-lori&utm_campaign=Content&sf3095653=1" target="_blank">Nat Geo article</a> was shared with my by my friend Blondie (mentioned in very past blog posts) about a woman who calls other species' persons and studies them, and through this I found the <a href="http://www.nonhumanrightsproject.org/" target="_blank">Non-human Rights Project </a>which seeks to give animals rights to their bodies and lives.<br />
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<b style="color: red;">Bergdahl:</b> This media frenzy has sickened me, as all media frenzies do. Summarily, this soldier was a POW of the Taliban in Afghanistan for five years after he left his post, and what started as a joyous celebration of getting one of our own back (albeit by trading him for 5 top Taliban officials from Guantanamo[which was supposed to be closed by now because the treatment within Guantanamo is inhumane and against basic "American" principles of justice and fair trial{<a href="http://www.justice.gov/archive/ll/highlights.htm" target="_blank">see Patriot Act</a>}]) has turned into doubts about whether is life was WORTH (I repeat, WORTH) trading these men for. You don't want to get me started on placing value on life. The discussion will get ugly.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b style="color: blue;">Net neutrality:</b> My last post was on this. The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) chairman Tom Wheeler, formerly of Comcast (can you say conflict of interest?) is considering allowing service providers such as Comcast and Verizon to fast track some websites loading speeds (like companies that pay them money to ensure they'll load for consumers, while they can slow down the loading speeds of other sites (like free web and communications activist sites such as my personal go-to, <a href="http://www.freepress.net/" target="_blank">Free Press</a>)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><b style="color: #e06666;">Reset the Net: </b>Click this. <a href="https://www.resetthenet.org/" target="_blank">Click </a>this now. It's so freaking cool. It provides tips and software to prevent government and even private snooping. It's really neat. And important. And it's sponsored by a bunch of cool groups and blogs (all of these, actually): </span><br />
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There's more stuff, but this post is gonna be too long if I keep rambling. So just think about it. About all of it. </div>
The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-34744276714225407462014-05-06T19:55:00.000-04:002014-05-06T19:55:19.462-04:00THE INTERNET IS DEAD<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO0OV11QVyVXiQHIwvQRuMimTi-zy1b5r3rm76m1KI5iPTnb49RkD7vJwqUEb3obk08cW2Gntez3iYrwLebr3OUkkYFCqiaExj3YA2RC2Wo7tcv2T3-dtoYAB6zKGwRsDlZCI2nSlz0b4q/s1600/netneutrality.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO0OV11QVyVXiQHIwvQRuMimTi-zy1b5r3rm76m1KI5iPTnb49RkD7vJwqUEb3obk08cW2Gntez3iYrwLebr3OUkkYFCqiaExj3YA2RC2Wo7tcv2T3-dtoYAB6zKGwRsDlZCI2nSlz0b4q/s1600/netneutrality.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original Artwork by the Bean (not the greatest artist at ALL)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Alright, it's not dead yet. But it's going to be. Firstly, credit goes to my friend T.X. Watson for introducing me to this problem.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Secondly, I'm here to talk to you today about a warm topic that needs to get red hot real fast called network neutrality, or net neutrality.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This is about the internet, a place that we all know and love. We use it for news, we use it for entertainment, and we use it for activism (or at least that's what I use it for), and it has tons of other uses that I'm sure I can't even fathom.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I want you to stop and think about how much time you spend on the internet a day and how much it has been integrated into your life. You dig it, right? It's convenient, it's reasonably fast, and it helps you get stuff done.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Now, imagine one day you go on the internet and turn on Facebook. Everything seems normal. You do a quick Google search for an actor whose name you can't remember. Results show up fine. But then you click a link to an independent site with more info on the actor, a small celeb blog that you check out from time to time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The screen is white, you can see your tabs at the top. Facebook still works when you click on it. Google is running just fine. But this independent domain won't load. What's up?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Corporate tea-bagging is what's up. If net neutrality becomes no longer a thing, as decided by the FCC, major internet/cable providers can decide what sites load quickly and what sites don't, the internet will become mainstreamed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">All the streaming sites you use, Hulu or Netflix, will increase in price because they'll have to pay money in order to ensure fast loading of their services. Small watchdogs sites who report on these media giants (free-press, etc.) may hardly load at all. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The end of net neutrality is another nail in the coffin for freedom and democracy in the United States. We'll quite literally only see what corporate America wants us to see, and that, my friends, is a huge freaking problem. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Get active: sign this <a href="http://civic.moveon.org/save_the_internet/" target="_blank">petition</a>. And this <a href="https://www.change.org/petitions/tom-wheeler-save-net-neutrality" target="_blank">one</a>. Oh and this <a href="https://act.freepress.net/sign/internet_FCC_court_decision2/" target="_blank">one</a>. Aaand this <a href="https://dailykos.com/campaigns/638" target="_blank">one</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Also, for net neutrality 101, check out this link to <a href="http://www.savetheinternet.com/net-neutrality-101" target="_blank">FreePress</a></span>The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-21327435429434147292014-03-28T15:33:00.000-04:002014-03-28T15:33:11.568-04:00I dare say I predicted this: Colbert is in trouble with #cancelcolbert<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Just a little blip here flashing back to one of my older posts. Many disagreed with my article <a href="http://beanalive.blogspot.com/2013/12/a-commentary-on-humor-complacency.html" target="_blank">"A Commentary on Humor Complacency: Critiquing Colbert"</a>. But now Colbert and his show are in trouble for disrespecting the Asian community. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Ironically, the bit that made me upset and write the first post was about the smog problem in China.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The tweet, reportedly made by whoever was running <a href="https://twitter.com/ColbertReport" target="_blank">@ColbertReport</a>, a Comedy Central twitter account, was a quote from a bit in his show for which Colbert himself, <a href="https://twitter.com/ColbertAtHome" target="_blank">@ColbertAtHome</a>, still needs to be held accountable. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The tweet was a parody of the inappropriate and frankly ridiculous name of a foundation started by the Washington Redskins called the <a href="http://www.redskins.com/news-and-events/article-1/Redskins-Launch-Washington-Redskins-Original-Americans-Foundation/2e9b6c12-f93e-4da3-8c27-e246c2c83b43" target="_blank">Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation</a>. The name of the foundation is ridiculous because the Washington Redskins have yet to change their name which is an ethnic slur for Native Americans, and also the slur is included in the foundation's name. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This is what I was saying about being careful of satire. Satire does not mean you can say whatever you want. Colbert could have pointed out the ridiculousness of the Washington Redskin's new foundation without making the comment that got him in trouble:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 25.5px;">I am willing to show #Asian community I care by introducing the Ching-Chong Ding-Dong Foundation for Sensitivity to Orientals or Whatever.</span></blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Do I think Colbert meant to harm anyone? No. But that does not excuse him and Comedy Central from taking responsibility for his actions.</span><br />
<br />
The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-29315702393991744802014-03-28T13:51:00.001-04:002014-03-28T13:55:01.871-04:00Journalism is not a crime: why I like Snowden even more now.<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqB0-DsYhcOb6l08w8LG42kzc_Bjteah9Nj6g-1sU_rBmqn5RR6wc7pX4ucyggjaFKf1cILb1WdUeZW2fsLa72pca9vlLg_UrE3hzIsb1jFIsEtz4swl5kJkT0xs2AzJP_FzQqD-slIFd8/s1600/snowden-robot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqB0-DsYhcOb6l08w8LG42kzc_Bjteah9Nj6g-1sU_rBmqn5RR6wc7pX4ucyggjaFKf1cILb1WdUeZW2fsLa72pca9vlLg_UrE3hzIsb1jFIsEtz4swl5kJkT0xs2AzJP_FzQqD-slIFd8/s1600/snowden-robot.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">http://www.digitaltrends.com/opinion/edward-snowdens-ted-talk-cyborgs/</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">So a TED talk hosted in Vancouver featuring Edward Snowden
talking through a robot from an undisclosed location and interviewed by Chris
Anderson, the curator of TED, succeeded in distracting me from my homework.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I was excited by the opportunity to see him speak, and I
recommend everyone watch the 35 minute talk linked here:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/edward_snowden_here_s_how_we_take_back_the_internet#t-1904978">http://www.ted.com/talks/edward_snowden_here_s_how_we_take_back_the_internet#t-1904978</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">In a nutshell, Snowden was talking about the programs the
NSA has been using to monitor American citizens and why they are unconstitutional.
He spoke about the problems with the concept of secret surveillance initiatives
being reviewed by a secret court that has no one monitoring it because it is
secret. I make no pretenses of being unbiased here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Snowden also spoke about one of my favorite topics (favorite
because it’s a serious problem and I care about it deeply), the criminalization
of journalism and death of the free press.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">“Journalism is not a crime, communication is not a crime,
and we should not be monitored in our everyday activities,” Snowden said
towards the end of the talk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Truly, the public should be able to monitor the actions of
the government without fear of being charged with treason or without the
government hiding their actions to make them nearly impossible to monitor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I’ve heard a lot of arguments that Snowden is being celebratized
(not a word, I made it up), and that he has secret initiatives to do what he is
doing besides helping the American people. I have high doubts for this
allegation. <span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Snowden’s statement when asked how he was coping with fear
in his precarious situation clarified to me what his aims are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">“The fact that [the government is] willing to completely
ignore due process, the fact that they’re willing to declare guilt without ever
seeing a trial; these are things we need to work against as a society and say,
hey, this is not appropriate. We shouldn’t be threatening dissidents. We shouldn’t
be criticizing journalism. What whatever part I can play to see that end, I’m
happy to do despite the risks,” said Snowden.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I like him, and I think we really need to pay attention to
this issue until it is resolved in a way that eradicates the unconstitutionality
of the NSA, secures freedom of speech and privacy through electronic
communication, and obliterates the FISA court for the sham it is.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1485024740486999228.post-1285499092310897812014-03-19T14:31:00.002-04:002014-03-19T14:31:18.031-04:00Not-so-funny farm<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKwHrbig9pr7ehw8ScnTDw27BSUc7gdreDuZ30bmQDd6fBOke2CP77EtcfnQCLPdyFfN50_Qto00fRK3fFemrRGSPguykEosEk-hs9nxxuE1BFZQGxe8ApvfzyAYQszqeiWniDh3XEvcKh/s1600/stats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKwHrbig9pr7ehw8ScnTDw27BSUc7gdreDuZ30bmQDd6fBOke2CP77EtcfnQCLPdyFfN50_Qto00fRK3fFemrRGSPguykEosEk-hs9nxxuE1BFZQGxe8ApvfzyAYQszqeiWniDh3XEvcKh/s1600/stats.jpg" height="315" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/meat-industry-grossly-outspends-animal-rights-veg-groups.html">http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/meat-industry-grossly-outspends-animal-rights-veg-groups.html</a><br /><br />Advertising spending by meat industry compared with advertising spending by animal rights groups.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So I went to the Animal Rights event, and I met some cool people. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">The organizations working to pass the Massachusetts Farm Animal Cruelty Act, Bill H.1456, are the Humane Society, the Humane League, Farm Sanctuary, and there was a representative from the MSPCA. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Here is an excerpt from the proposed bill along with people speak to clarify them: </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 28px;">(a) The purpose of this section, subject to exceptions, is to prohibit the confinement of farm animals in a manner that does not allow them to turn around freely, lie down, stand up, and fully extend their limbs.</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">This passage would apply to gestation crates, battery cages and veal crates. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Gestation crates are what hold mother pigs who are pregnant. They cannot stand, move or turn around. They are artificially inseminated, they sit in the same place for their entire pregnancy, and when the babies have been nursed to an age where they can enter the same process, the mothers are slaughtered for meat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Battery cages are for egg laying hens. They cannot move or turn around. They eat and lay eggs for their entire lives, and then they die.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I think we all know what veal crates are. Baby cows are chained around their necks from birth and forced to remain still so the meat can be tender.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I'm guessing you can see why we want this legislation to pass. It needs to be passed by July of this year. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Links to involved parties:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<a href="http://www.farmsanctuary.org/">http://www.farmsanctuary.org/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mspca.org/">http://www.mspca.org/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.thehumaneleague.com/">http://www.thehumaneleague.com/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.humanesociety.org/">http://www.humanesociety.org/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The Beanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13615007529800086208noreply@blogger.com0