Instead of firing bullets, the Taser gun shoots out two metal barbs tethered to long wires. As soon as the barbs find their target, the wires transmit a 50,000-volt shock – enough to floor the most aggressive of individuals. The victim recovers when the current is turned off.

Taser International’s government affairs spokesman, Steve Tuttle, claims the company has proved “beyond a shadow of a doubt” that the guns are safe to use on planes. Mobile phones may occasionally cause problems because of the frequency of their signals, but the Taser is more like a weak lightning bolt, which the avionics are designed to cope with.

“We have fired the Taser into every piece of equipment aboard every platform that United Airlines has, trying to damage it – without success,” says Tuttle. He also reports that they managed to land an Airbus on autopilot while repeatedly discharging a stun gun in the cockpit.

New Scientist 17 January 2004

Why I don’t like Bush, Part III (Part II, Part I)

The apropriate follow-up to my last post is of course religion. Get all those things you’re not supposed to discuss in public RIGHT out in the open.

First things first, although I currently am at loose ends theologically, I was raised Catholic. Being raised Catholic means, for me, possibly something quite different than it does for others, so let me explain further. I was raised to believe that it is my duty to care for others. That is, after all, what the bible says: “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.” When you lay out the details, it means caring for others and caring for the world that will be left for those who come after us. Pretty simple. It’s not about me, it’s about everyone else.

I, of course, fail miserably in my attempts to achieve this, but that doesn’t mean I don’t try. That’s part of the whole works over faith thing. You get points for trying, even if you don’t succeed. You just have to keep on trying, and perhaps one day you’ll succeed.

Thus, one of the things that enrages me most about Bush is the way that he is held up as a model Christian, but from where I’m standing, he’s gotten it completely wrong.

Yes, I know I’m missing the ‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged’ ideal here (I’m also doing a terrible job of “love your enemy”, but I am trying), but we are talking about politics, and about making choices. Let’s agree that I’m trying not to judge his soul, but his fitness for office, and leave it at that.

Poverty

There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land. Deuteronomy 15:11
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. Psalm 82:3
All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor. Galatians 2:10
Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Luke 12:33

Those statements, and others like them throughout both the New and Old Testaments are pretty unequivocal.

Care for the poor.

Not care for the rich and give corporate welfare. Not give tax cuts to the rich and hope that they use the money to buy more luxury items that will provide jobs with minimum wage pay and no benefits. But that is, unfortunately what Bush has done.

Bush’s tax cuts widen the gap between the rich and the poor.
Market wages do not meet these basic needs for low-income workers.
“[We] believe that poverty reduction, and not case load reduction, should be a principal goal of our national welfare policy. It is not enough to cite the decline in case loads – we must make sure that work pays and families do not remain below the poverty line.”

Health

When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Luke 9:1-2

Universal health care has been widely opposed in the US, despite any success it has had in other developed countries. In the US health care is provided by employers, unfortunately, health care costs are rising, and those costs are either passed onto employees, or employers no longer provide health insurance. And there are many people who, despite working, have no access to health care, because their employer does not provide health insurance, and they can not afford health care on their own. These working poor slip through the cracks and their health suffers for it.

The share of the population without health insurance rose in 2002, the second consecutive annual increase. An estimated 15.2 percent of the population or 43.6 million people were without health insurance coverage during the entire year in 2002,up from 14.6 percent in 2001, an increase of 2.4 million people.

War

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Matthew 5:9
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. James 3:17-18

As I said previously, the war in Iraq happened, there is nothing we can do to change that, but I am bothered by the way that our troops, past and present are being treated, but it is quite obvious that Bush has a militant stance. Whether such a stance draws us into further wars, it is hard to say, but I can only hope not.

The Outcast

When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:11-13

Jesus walked among the outcast of the time. The outcast today receive little or not support from the government, and in most cases are persecuted, just as they were two thousand years ago. Bush is doing nothing to change this, and everything to uphold the status quo.

It’s a walk the walk thing. You can call yourself whatever you want, but talking about religion is in no way the same as living a moral life, and following the directions set out in the Bible, or the Torah, or the Qu’ran. If you are going to claim to be a Christian, then you need to do far more than just talk the talk.

Check out my Morality! 68% liberal, 32% conservative

Happy Year of the Monkey!

Sent the e-mail cards out early, posted late. Go figure.

Why I don’t like Bush, Part II

This is going to be slightly more contentious than Part I (Politics of War), since the subject is a bit more volatile.

First things first, I despise the Bush administration’s agenda pushing abstinence as the only sex education that should be taught in schools. Apparently these people were either never teenagers, or have no memory of being teenagers. Yes, abstinence is important and should be emphasized in sex education BUT let’s not pretend that it works 100% of the time, because doing so essentially damns those teens for whom abstinence education doesn’t work. What I find most frustrating about abstinence education is that it is actually contrary to the goal of reducing rates of abortion, which should be everyone’s primary goal. Get rid of unwanted pregnancies, you have removed the need for abortion. But those goals seem to be contrary to the idea of abstinence education, which doesn’t leave room for telling teens that if they don’t wait, it is imperative that they use contraception.

Abstinence education doesn’t give teens who are already having sex access to contraception, and that lack is what can lead to unwanted pregnancy, and that unwanted pregnancy can lead to abortion. It’s as if the right has forgotten their goal of stopping abortion in their quest for universal conservative ‘Christian’ morality with no sex before marriage. We should have the goal of a culture without abortion, but it will be far more effective to achieve this goal through the stopping unwanted pregnancies rather than requiring women who do not want to have a child, to carry that child to term.

Then there is the administration’s treatment of gays and lesbians. I cannot understand how a society that spilled gallons of ink on the 55 hour marriage of Britney Spears can say that the a gay or lesbian couple vowing a life time of commitment is degrading to sanctity of marriage. We are far more degraded by drive-through elvis chapels and quick divorces than we are by two people of the same gender swearing eternal devotion to one another. And that doesn’t begin to touch the conservative delusion that homosexuality is a choice. To paraphrase my friend Hammer, yeah, people become homosexual because they figure they can’t make enough people hate them through force of personality alone.

As far as I am concerned, asking someone why they chose to be gay is akin to asking them why they chose to be left-handed. I’m sure that you could use the modern equivalent of smacking the child with a ruler when they use their left hand, but that doesn’t mean the trait is not an inherent and natural trait–or that smacking them with a ruler is a good idea.

We also have the subject of Planned Parenthood and US support overseas. We won’t give ANY support to Planned Parenthood or other similar organizations, in the work they do overseas, even if that work would reduce unwanted pregnancies, reduce incidence of STD transmission, reduce transmission of AIDS, and ultimately reduce abortion rates. I believe this is a serious case of biting off our nose to spite our face. What we need to export to these countries is education and tolerance, not excuses.

Again, these are not necessarily arguments to persuade someone to my way of thinking–there are far better arguments out there, this is simply my detailing of the reasons I do not like President Bush, and why I fear his reelection.

Here are some links to peruse at your leisure. None of the fit particularly well into the essay, so I’m providing further information here.

AIDS rates are increasing in the US after a decade of decline
AIDS rates are increasing internationally
Rates of teenage pregnancy in the US are higher than other industrialized nations
A BBC Health feature on genetics
Copy of a NY Times article on the genetics of homosexuality

I just like saying that.

“I am children.”

Children: You are still a child at heart,
and the world is still a fantastic place
when you are allowed to see it as such.
Either you are still young or else you have
the blood of fae running through you,
for you are not as banal as a normal human.
You have low/3-5 banality.
How Banal Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

I’ve finally gotten started on my studying. Read two of the four chapters for my health policy class, and have been going over the first chapter for my editing class.

Regarding the health policy class, the readings were not nearly as boring as I feared they might be. Chapter two was almost interesting.

Regarding the editing class, “What do you MEAN I have to learn the names of all the parts of a sentence again?!”

Unusual comments heard frequently at my house:

“You! Get out of the dishwasher!”

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law.
— Martin Luther King Jr.

The good neighbor looks beyond the external accidents and discerns those inner qualities that make all men human and, therefore, brothers.
— Martin Luther King Jr., ‘Strength to Love,’ 1963

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
— Martin Luther King, Jr.

I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. That is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant.
— Martin Luther King Jr.,
1964 Nobel Peace Prize

“I believe that what self-centered men have torn down, men other-centered can build up. I still believe that one day mankind will bow before the altars of God and be crowned triumphant over war and bloodshed and non- violent redemptive goodwill proclaimed the rule of the land. And the Lion and the Lamb shall lie down together, and every man shall sit under his own vine and fig tree, and none shall be afraid. I believe that we shall overcome.”
– Martin Luther King
1964 Nobel Peace Prize

You can also find text and audio to Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

The King Center
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., MEMORIAL FOUNDATION

I just put an apple pie in the oven.

Plus I made biscotti this afternoon.

And deviled chicken soup.

Someone better come help us eat all this food.

What I want to know, is how do you convice people that yes, you really do want books for Christmas? Perhaps a movie thrown in for variety, but mostly you just want books. Any kind of books: Mysteries, Fantasies, Novels, Histories, Comparative Theology, Science Books, Cookbooks–just books. No more Stuff.

This comes up because I am cleaning the house, which desperately needed done, and I am also going through looking for stuff to donate to Christian Help, or barring that, throw away, and I began to wonder how I ended up with so much Stuff.

You know, Stuff. It’s not useful per se, it’s just something someone thought was neat and thought that you would like.

Not that I don’t like my Stuff, mind you. Much of my Stuff is very nice, and I like looking at it. But it’s just Stuff. It takes up space. In fact is often takes up valuable space where books could go. This is not a good thing, because in the battle between books and Stuff, Stuff loses every time. (Unless I don’t like the book, or it’s extra-special stuff, like the collection of elephants given my over the years by the Christmas Elephant and Birthday Elephant.)

Why does Stuff lose? Becuase we have a Very Small House. You know, the typical 40s and 50s house with small closets (if there are closets at all), tiny bedrooms, small living room, small kitchen, and damp basement. With books in every single room, that doesn’t leave a lot of room for Stuff, yet it seems like every time I turn around, we have more Stuff.

So what do you do with the Stuff? If it has a use, I give it to Christian Help, but so much of it is just plain Stuff, cluttering up shelves, cluttering up the floor, taking up space. No use, just pretty. Or neat. Too nice to throw away, but too much trouble to have a yard sale.

Maybe I’ll give all my Stuff to my sister-in-law and she can sell it on E-Bay, after all, it is Nice Stuff.

Slate likes potato chips.

Slate does not like raw potatoes.

Yesterday, from five to seven, was Michael’s first lab of the semester. Since WVU Parking Authority stops ticketing at four, we decided that if he drove to lab he would not have to leave work as early, so that would be best.

So at five, I walked down to the PRT station and took the PRT to Engineering. Now, to get from the Engineering PRT station to where Michael parked the car, the most direct route is to walk through the Mineral Engineering building where my father works, so I thought I’d stop by my dad’s office, and say hi if he was there. He was, and we chatted for a bit, which was nice. I learned that three of my brother’s dogs are still at my parent’s house, and it looks like Cyrus will remain indefinitely. Lucky Dad.

I eventually said I should get home, and Dad says he needed to get to the gym before it closed, which settled it. There is no way I was going to be the reason Dad didn’t make it to the gym. If he wants to irritate Mom, that’s his business, but I do not want to bear the brunt of her wrath for his non-exercise.

When I reached the exit, I saw Michael standing there, and we had the following conversation:

“Hi, dear! Did you just finish? I’ve been up talking to Dad,” I said.
“I’ve been done for a little bit,” he replied. “We finished early.”
“Were you waiting long? You should have come up to Dad’s office to see if I was there.”
“Well, I thought about it, but was afraid that I’d miss you as you walked down from his office.”
“Oh, well why didn’t you just leave a note in the car so I wouldn’t leave without you?”
Silence.

No, I don’t think I’ll feel guilty about this at all.