2017 archive
Whinestein 0
Also at the Inky, Will Bunch excoriates Harvey Weinstein’s farcical attempt to attribute his predations on the 1960s. A snippet:
The biggest difference in sexual abuse — by family members, “trusted” adults, bosses, or the otherwise powerful — before the arrival of the 1960s and ’70s was that victims were more likely to suffer in silence, increasing their trauma. As for those changing “rules” that Weinstein clings to as his excuse, the only real rule changes that mattered that came from the early 1970s were the ideas that women had a right to more freedom, more respect and greater opportunity in the workplace and in every other social arena that mattered.
Tales of the Trumpling: Snapshots of Trickle-Down Trumpery 0
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports on the increase of racial incidents in schools in the Philadelphia metropolitan area since November of last year. A snippet:
“Things like that give the white nationalists a green light,” Simmons said.
Nancy Baron-Baer, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, said it’s hard to know whether the recent outbreak of racist incidents in area schools represents an actual uptick.
“It may be that people who are taunting, people who are performing hate crimes seemingly have become emboldened over the last 12 to 15 months,” said Baron-Baer. “It may be those that are the victims or opposed to that behavior feel that they must speak out.”
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Politeness is de riguer at one’s local public house.
QOTD 0
Edmund Crispin, through the character of Inspector Humbledy, upon learning that Our Hero is reading a book by Henry James:
Narcotic. I always feel that Henry James ought to be dealt with in the Dangerous Drugs Act . . . .
Crispin, Edmund, Frequent Hearses (New York: Penguin, 1982) p. 11
I have read Henry James and I cannot argue with that sentiment. James makes Dickens seem positively spritely.
Facebook Frolics 0
At this point, outrageous U. S. political stories on Facebook should be assumed to be false unless they can be confirmed from an independent source.
The Pusher Men 0
Nicholas Kristoff:
Our policy was: You get 15 people hooked on opioids, and you’re a thug who deserves to rot in hell; you get 150,000 people hooked, and you’re a marketing genius who deserves a huge bonus.
Much more at the link.
(Sun Oct 22 23:00:27 EDT 2017: Open tag fixed.)
Phony Patriots 0
Warning: Language.
The Spice Is Right 0
One thing I cannot understand is the “pumpkin spice” fad. Go to your local grocery store and browse the spice rack–I defy you to find “pumpkin spice” with a McCormacks label and, on the off chance that you do, you will find that it has a list of ingredients that have nothing whatsoever to do with large orange gourds.
Indeed, I have long held that anyone who has eaten a well-prepared sweet potato pie will not waste time on pumpkins again.
Frank Bruni tries to understand “pumpkin spice” and finds a metaphor. A snippet:
It’s invention run amok, marketing gone mad, the odoriferous emblem of commercialism without compunction or bounds. It’s the transformation of an illusion — there isn’t any spice called pumpkin, nor any pumpkin this spicy — into a reality.
Oh, hell, let’s just go there: It’s Donald Trump. I don’t mean the color of his hair, though pumpkin spice is as good a description of it as any. I mean that pumpkin spice became special by shamelessly insisting that it was and ruthlessly creeping into every corner of the culture that was docile, dippy or lazy enough to accommodate it.
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
The hunt for politeness continues, and another gun fires itself–at least, that’s how the sentence reads.
Blaming the Victim 0
John Kim, writing at Psychology Today Blogs, demonstrates that women are not to blame for male predation. Furthermore, he suggests Harvey Weinstein and his ilk are far from being monstrous exceptions to the rule, but, rather, are far too typical.
Here’s a snippet:
Aside:
It’s not the best-written piece, but I think he makes points worth considering. And, in a related piece, Laura Gianino tells a tale of trolls.
QOTD 0
Taking It Easy 0
Another picture from my brother on Virginia’s Northern Neck.
We would frequently see these at Pine View Farm and, from time to time, would capture one, then always let it go.
Heard ‘Round the World . . . 0
.. . . and Noz is listening.
Tales of the Trumpling: Snapshots of Trickle-Down Trumpery 0
A Halloween Trumpling.
The demonstration, which included marching around the school twice, was a display of unity from the student body, a protest of administrative inaction, and a call for change, student leaders said.
