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May 24th, 2012
06:07 pm - VA jobs
I've read that the Veterans Administration health system is hiring thousands of mental health professionals in order to meet the needs of those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet, there are Zero social worker jobs posted for the sizable outpatient clinic in Columbus.
Maybe they need to hire thousands of HR people just to post all of those openings and process the applications? Something is wrong here.
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May 21st, 2012
09:51 pm - talking to dad
So I was talking to my dad yesterday morning and referred to a certain commercial I'd seen a while back. I was about to say "there's this teenager, about 14, and this old guy, about 70" and then I realized that my dad is 71. So I said, "...and this old guy, about 80." When do I switch the "old guy" age to 90? When he's 75, maybe?
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May 14th, 2012
07:21 am - To do today
After pedaling 50 constantly rainy miles back from Portsmouth to Chillicothe yesterday, I didn't feel like doing much. Showered, ate, read, slept. So a lot is on my plate today.
--Cat to vet at 11
--Vacuum
--Clean out car
--Donate blood?
--Groceries
--Dishes
--Put stuff away
--Take out trash/compost
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May 4th, 2012
08:46 pm - Putting this on LJ to remember
...As opposed to on Facebook where everything goes off into the ether.
From now on, spray-on sunscreen is riding with me on my bike at all times, just like hex wrenches.
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April 29th, 2012
08:54 pm - Note to self
Get back to writing in this journal.
A month in between = too long.
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March 23rd, 2012
12:10 pm - Reason rally packing list
Rain jacket, sweater
Gloves
Usual overnight change of clothes
Toothbrush etc
Small trash bag to protect my stuff from rain
Large trash bag for sitting/cleanup
Water
Snacks/food (extra to share?)
Camera
1st aid kit
Duct tape
Hand sanitizer
Deodorant
mp3 player (for bus)
Flashlight
Backup celly battery charger
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11:02 am - roommate
I'm just about ready to look for a new roommate. Just a few criteria...
--Non-smoker. Unless it's crack.
--Responsible enough with money to always pay the rent on time, even if he or she has to go out and rob someone at gunpoint to do so. Note the rent may NOT be paid in jacked cars.
--If any felony on criminal record, there'd better be a really good story.
--Must clean up more thoroughly than the Cleaner from La Femme Nikita.
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February 28th, 2012
08:05 am - I sent this email to the presenter at a training I attended last week
(The training was a three-hour evening event on Ethics in Senior Care for social workers, nurses, occupational therapists, etc.)
I was left frustrated and confused by some of the digressions in your talk.
Don't get me wrong, I like a good laugh, and I like to discuss controversial social or political topics with my friends. But it became hard to keep track of which statements were a)jokes, b)statements of opinion on a controversial issue which you were willing to defend, c)"test balloons" on which you weren't really expressing an opinion either way, or d)controversial statements that (I hope) you weren't really looking to spend time discussing because they were so far off topic. An example of D would be when you said, "There's no difference between Obama and Romney," or something to that effect.
Also, it's easy to toss around supposed statistics and other facts without having available information to back them up. You might have heard the saying, "90% of statistics are made up on the spot." If a statement is really relevant to the topic, for instance that married men are happier than single men and that they tend to remarry right after their wives die, you should cite sources. If it's not relevant, well...
I'm sure I'd have a great time exploring ethical questions over a cup of coffee with you, but I walked away from a three-hour training thinking that only about one hour was actually about Ethics In Senior Care.
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February 24th, 2012
04:50 pm - Hitchens/Luxemburg/Jew stuff
Christopher Hitchens, whose mother is of Jewish ethnicity, quotes Rosa Luxemburg thusly:
"What do you want with these special Jewish pains? I feel as close to the wretched victims of the rubber plantations in Putamayo and the blacks of Africa with whose bodies the Europeans play ball... I have no special corner in my heart for the ghetto: I am at home in the entire world, where there are clouds and birds and human tears."
This reflects much of my thinking. A few years ago, I walked through the Hasidic neighborhood of Brooklyn, and felt no more cultural connection than if I were walking through Chinatown.
That being said, I'm aware that if my maternal grandfather hadn't been a Jew, he might have found Poland to be a perfectly acceptable place to spend his life. Possibly also true for my dad's grandparents, about whom I know nothing.
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04:44 pm - My answers to questions about Humanism and HCCO
Q:
What does HCCO do?
What is a humanist? Is this just another term for an atheist or how do these relate? Is it appropriate to call a humanist an atheists?
Do you have certain views or beliefs? Are there certain values that perhaps you would raise your children with?
A:
I can answer all of these together. HCCO is a community of, by, and for, Secular Humanists in Central Ohio. It offers social, educational, activist and service events to support Humanism. As the American Humanism puts it, "Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without supernaturalism, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity." Assuming that God is a supernatural being, Humanists are without belief in God, thus they are atheistic. Some, for various reasons, do not prefer to use that term.
Many of our members are interested in imparting Humanist values to their children. HCCO has recently been offering more and more programming for children and families, such as Family Game Night. Another locally based organization, Camp Quest, offers a weeklong summer camp with emphasis on critical thinking in addition to traditional, fun activities.
Q:
A lot of people say that if you do not believe in a god you will not have morals, how do you address this?
A:
Definitions of "morals" and "ethics" are complicated. Humanists ascribe to consequence-based ethics, i.e., they make decisions based on their effect on oneself and others as opposed to divine command or pastoral authority. Humanist Manifesto III states, "Ethical values are derived from human need and interest as tested by experience... We are committed to treating each person as having inherent worth and dignity, and to making informed choices in a context of freedom consonant with responsibility." One could go into a lot more detail; individual Humanists have a wide variety of opinions on tough ethical problems.
Q:
Do most people grow up with these beliefs or do they come to HCCO later in life as adults?
A:
Great question! I know some of both. Many Humanists grew up in conservative religious backgrounds. They may have been doubting since childhood, or much later in life; young adulthood is a common time to question the beliefs of one's upbringing. Others grew up in more moderate/liberal traditions, or even in secular households.
Q:
What are some resources for people who are atheists or humanists in Columbus?
A:
By far the best resource for atheists and Humanists in Columbus is the Humanist Community of Central Ohio. There are other similar groups around, such as Students for Freethought at OSU, and we have friendly relationships with several of them. Columbus also has a huge university and a nice public library system, and a great deal of cultural diversity. Many of us enjoy festivals such as Comfest at which we can share our worldview and learn about others.
Q:
As you probably know religion can be a strength when working with clients, how can atheism or humanism be used as a strength?
A:
Religion CAN be a strength, but I think it sometimes harms my clients as well. But to answer your question, clients who are able to reason skeptically have a head start on challenging their own irrational beliefs and assumptions, such as we do in cognitive therapy. Ability to question a belief or test a hypothesis is psychologically beneficial. I could go on further if need be.
Q:
Do you think it is a replacement for a religion or lack of religion? I have heard both arguments.
A:
For some people, Humanism does replace the community aspect of religion, in addition to describing a framework for making decisions.
Q:
Are there services like churches will have services on Sunday, or is it more informal meetings?
A:
Another good question. Yes and no. The most formal aspects of HCCO are our monthly program, which is often based upon a presentation by an internal or guest speaker, and our yearly Winter Solstice Banquet. Even at these times, humor is often part of our group interactions. None of these events would look at all like a church service, in that there are neither hymns, nor prayers, nor clergy reading from a divinely inspired scripture. Some Humanists do have an interest in ritual, and whether we should have more ritual has been a point of intense discussion within our movement.
Q:
Let me know if there is anything else you think that would be helpful to understanding humanists or this culture.
A:
I think your idea of checking out an event in person is a good one. You also might like to visit Students for Freethought at OSU.
Q:
Thank you for your help, I really appreciate it.
A:
Glad to help!
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February 20th, 2012
10:07 pm - Skiing
Skiing today, I (unintentionally) attempted my first-ever black diamond area, i.e. moguls, and promptly wiped out. I shed my skis and poles and slid, prone, into one of the chairlift poles. I was back up and skiing again before long, but with a sore leg. It's still sore, especially when I go up stairs. Corey took a worse fall than mine, at the same time and for the same reason.
On the positive side, I (intentionally) went faster, and on steeper slopes, than I had ever done before, and that without falling. I have a better sense of how to turn, and am confident about pointing whichever way I want as long as I'm not at high speed. Sharp, parallel-skis turns are still to come.
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09:31 pm - Test please ignore
To determine if the problem is my connection, or both my web browsers.
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February 16th, 2012
06:42 pm - Winter hikes
I enjoy winter hikes. But this is false advertising.
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February 14th, 2012
06:32 pm - Office-mate
I walked into my office this afternoon to see that my newish office-mate, who is an evangelical preacher in Appalachian Ohio, had borrowed from my pen jar an HCCO pen bearing the slogan, "Good Without God Since 1979." Uh-oh...
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February 12th, 2012
09:25 pm
The best revolutionary poster I saw--perhaps the best I have ever seen... showed a modest Portuguese family in traditional dress being introduced to a receiving line of new friends who included Socrates, Einstein, Beethoven, Spinoza, Shakespeare, Charlie Chaplin, Karl Marx, and Sigmund Freud. (There are many people in much richer countries who are still putting off this rendezvous.)
--Christopher Hitchens, "Hitch-22"
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February 10th, 2012
06:45 am - Founders
It doesn't make much sense to me when people lionize the Founding Fathers as authors of the Great Secular Bible of Liberty, when the actual society whose laws they created was one morally repulsive to most of us today. I think that many of the civil liberties of individuals (as opposed to states) came about through the eventual interpretation of the 14th Amendment which they never would have imagined. Here's some of what the Founders ACTUALLY wrote:
Article I, Section. 9, clause 1. [No power to ban slave trade until 1808]
The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person.
Article IV, Section. 2. [Free states cannot protect slaves]
No Person held to Service or Labour in one State, under the Laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in Consequence of any Law or Regulation therein, be discharged from such Service or Labour, but shall be delivered up on Claim of the Party to whom such Service or Labour may be due.
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January 18th, 2012
09:40 pm - Dream last night
Driving for work, from Chillicothe to some place westward--Bainbridge? Hillsboro? Greenfield? This is something I used to do off and on, but don't any more.
Car breaks down. So I'm alking numerous miles to try to get wherever I am supposed to go. Pass through the small town of Cynthiana (really exists, but I've never been there) on foot. Get to a steep hill. There are concrete stairs partway up but then they stop. I'm wearing dress shoes, and wish I had hiking boots in which case maybe I could make it up the hill, even though the road looks scary due to traffic and there are "Private Property No Trespassing" signs on the other side of the guardrail. I'm frustrated and wonder how I'll get where I'm going.
Analysis welcome.
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January 11th, 2012
08:06 pm - Sharia ban unconstitutional
The 10th Circuit was absolutely right. We already have protection against the Establishment of Religion in the law books; it's been there since 1789.
The sole purpose of the Oklahoma law was to stoke fear of a minority group. It's as if they passed a "Jews can't kill Christian babies and drink their blood" bill.
Today, the 10th Circuit unanimously affirmed the lower courts permanent
injunction. In a 37-page decision, the three-judge panel agreed that
Oklahomas Sharia ban violated the First Amendments Establishment
Clause and was therefore unconstitutional. On page 32, the 10th Circuit
identified the heart of the matter, that Oklahomas move had no basis in
reality but simply singled out Muslims for discrimination.
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Appellants do not identify any actual problem the challenged amendment
seeks to solve. Indeed, they admitted at the preliminary injunction
hearing that they did not know of even a single instance where an
Oklahoma court had applied Sharia law or used the legal precepts of
other nations or cultures, let alone that such applications or uses had
resulted in concrete problems in Oklahoma. See Awad, 754 F. Supp. 2d at
1308; Aplt. App. Vol. 1 at 67-68.
Given the lack of evidence of any concrete problem, any harm Appellants
seek to remedy with the proposed amendment is speculative at best and
cannot support a compelling interest.15 To sacrifice First Amendment
protections for so speculative a gain is not warranted . . . . Columbia
Broad. Sys., Inc. v. Democratic Natl Co., 412 U.S. 94, 127 (1973).
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January 4th, 2012
10:42 pm - CS
I got my first CS request in a while, from an Argentine 18-year-old adventurer named Augusto. Looking forward to meeting him when he arrives on a Greyhound in February. Hope he's ready for the cold weather.
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December 31st, 2011
09:28 am - 7 things to avoid...
This is in response to Seven Things to Avoid When Talking to Strangers about Humanism by Jen Hancock.
For the most part, I like this list. With one exception...
"What’s interesting is that you wouldn’t even have to make a rejection of the supernatural explicit—people understand immediately that a deity is missing when you don’t invoke God or religion as the basis for your morality."
In my experience, one DOES have to make rejection of the supernatural explicit sooner or later in the conversation in order to clarify what Humanism is and is not. Perhaps people should make the "deity is missing" connection, but sometimes they don't. I agree with Jen Hancock that we shouldn't fixate on atheism in such a conversation, but if we're going to have it at all, we ought not let someone walk away thinking "All that sounds very nice, he must believe in the same God as I do, too."
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December 30th, 2011
09:54 pm - King of Scotland
"I think your death will be the first real thing that has happened to you."
--Forest Whitaker, in The Last King of Scotland
Good movie, I recommend. Whitaker is fascinating, playing an egotistical, unpredictable man, who could joke and laugh with you one moment, then decide to kill you, then maybe change his mind at the last minute and be your beloved friend again.
My only objection is that there's kinda a deus ex machina at the end, and I'm not a fan of those.
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December 27th, 2011
10:16 pm - Window
I have had the window in bedroom #2 of my small house fixed, so I am finally ready to look for a new roommate.
I've kinda enjoyed living alone for the last two months. I sing more, and I have even more places to store my stuff. But I'm definitely going to find a new roommate eventually; it's not worth $350 a month (plus half of the utilities) to me to not have someone living in that other bedroom.
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December 20th, 2011
07:10 pm - This year's news, in brief
This year's news in brief:
Kim Jong-Il was accused of sexually harassing Christopher Hitchens, while Vaclav Havel and Amy Winehouse were fired for turning a blind eye while Michelle Bachman molested Rick Perry. Herman Cain died, leaving Kim Jong-Un to forget which federal agency he wanted to eliminate.
Also, Batmobile lost its wheel and Joker got away.
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December 15th, 2011
06:17 pm - In today's news...
This week, the National Transportation Safety Board called for a ban on all cell phone use, whether talking or texting, while driving. To aid in enforcement, they called for a ban on cell phones being reachable in the passenger compartment of vehicles, now, they will have to be either stowed in the trunk or kept in a locked container such as those used for firearms.
Other reforms were also recommended to prevent distracted drivers and improve highway safety:
-Due to accidents caused by spilled coffee, drivers may no longer drink a beverage while driving. New model vehicles will be banned from offering front cupholders.
-Due to accidents resulting from vigorous driver laughter, humorous comments by passengers will be prohibited and subject to heavy fines. Humorous billboards will also be banned. Transportation of children likely to amuse, infuriate or otherwise distract will not be allowed.
-Motorists will be required to keep both hands on the wheel at all times except when shifting. Adjusting the radio, operating heating and air conditioning, or scratching one's head or any other body part will be ticketable by law enforcement.
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December 13th, 2011
09:40 pm - Child's view re healthcare reform
From White Coat Underground Good doc blog.
My child the commie, part II
Posted: November 2, 2011 in Fatherhood, Medicine
6
I picked up PalKid from Sunday school and asked her what she’d done that day.
“Nothing.”
It starts early.
I looked through her work and it was about charity, about what specific things people—even kids—can do to help others.
“You know, Daddy does some charity work.”
“What do you do, give money?” she asked.
“Sometimes, but most of what I do is something called ‘Project Chessed’, where I see some patients for free.”
“What do you mean?? People have to pay someone if they’re sick??”
“Sure.”
“But…but what if they’re really, really sick? Do they still have to pay?” She was incredulous.
I thought about how to explain this to a bright seven-year old.
“Honey, if someone is really, really sick, they’ll get taken care of but they’ll get a bill. I make money by taking care of people.”
I felt somehow a bit unclean after saying that.
“So,” I explained, “people buy insurance if they can, and that pays for doctors and such. But a lot of people can’t afford that. In some countries, people pay taxes and those taxes pay for all their health care so they don’t have to worry about it if they get sick.”
“That sounds better,” she said. “Is Obama going to fix that?”
“No, honey, he’s not. He made some fixes, but nothing like that.”
“But why not? It’s stupid!”
Yep, that it is.
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