News & Comment - Christmas 2007

When Nancy Pelosi said this is a "health issue"  she didn't make it clear whose health she had in mind.  Of course, we could just use the massive supply of oil in and around North America - but wait - that could disturb the life of some rodent or other.  And speaking of rodents and Nancy Pelosi . . .

Outlaw light bulbs and only outlaws will have light bulbs
In the pursuit of better energy use, has the government gone mad?

Washington, D.C. - Among the regulations packed into the newest energy bill that just passed Congress this week, a ban on the incandescent light bulb will officially end what Edison started 130 years ago.  "If you outlaw light bulbs, then only outlaws will have light bulbs," says Libertarian Party Executive Director Shane Cory.

"The ban on incandescent light bulbs may seem almost comical," says Cory, "but it raises several red flags on the level of government intrusion in people's lives.  From the toilets in your bathroom to the lights in your ceiling, there are very few consumer products free from some form of government regulation.  I seriously doubt regulating light bulbs was intended to be a necessary-and-proper role of the federal government."

'Tax Parents for Children's Carbon Emissions'
By Patrick Goodenough
CNSNews.com International Editor

December 10, 2007

(CNSNews.com) - Having babies is bad for the planet, and parents of more than two children should be charged a birth levy and annual tax to offset the "greenhouse gases" their child will be responsible for over his or her lifetime.  At the same time, those who use and prescribe contraceptives and sterilization procedures should earn tax relief for such greenhouse friendly services" that help to keep the population size down.  These proposals, by an Australian academic, were published in the country's leading medical journal on Monday.

[from FrontPageMagazine]

“The time for confrontation has come for me,” Cynthia McKinney told about 60 supporters on December 4. Launching her quest for the Green Party Presidential nomination, McKinney compared her “revolution” to Haiti, Venezuela, and war-torn Cote d’Ivoire.

[from Time]

British legislation is calling for the removal of the word "prostitute" from criminal statutes. The term has been around for 180 or so years, but in July the Justice Ministry argued that the word carries too much social stigma. Ministry officials are pushing to replace it with the phrase "persons who sell sex persistently," which is defined as twice or more within a three-month period.

[from Time]

Santas in Australia may sound a little less jolly this season after word spread that they had been asked to stop saying "ho ho ho" and to use "ha ha ha" instead. One disgruntled would-be St. Nick said the traditional phrase had been banned because it might be offensive to women. But the management company running the Santa training sessions maintains that that it was only a suggestion, and that the greeting is being left up to the discretion of each individual Santa.

[from Time]

A silly water-drinking contest ended in tragedy in January. Jennifer Strange, 28, was trying to win a Nintendo Wii gaming system in a contest a California radio station had dubbed "Hold Your Wee for a Wii." But the organizers were unaware of the dangers of consuming too much liquid in a short period of time. Contestants started out drinking 8 ounces of water every 15 minutes, and finalists were handed even bigger bottles to polish off. Later that day, Strange complained of a headache and hours later died from water intoxication.

This year, the cost of the 12 Days of Christmas
"True Love Shopping List" is $19,507
up 3.1% from last year.

Britney Tops Yahoo Searches for 2007

December 4, 2007

NEW YORK (AP) — Curious about Britney Spears...and wrestling...and Iran? So are millions of Internet users, said Yahoo Search. Spears topped Yahoo's list of top 10 searches in 2007. The pop star's troubled year propelled her past professional wrestling mecca WWE, Paris Hilton, the Japanese cartoon Naruto and Beyonce. Lindsay Lohan, the online adventure game Rune Scape, Fantasy Football, Fergie and Jessica Alba also made the list, respectively.

November 30, 2007, 2:55 pm
Rally Protests Proposed Ban on Feeding Pigeons

By Jennifer Lee/The New York Times

First they came for the pigeons. Then what next? Sparrows? Squirrels?  That was the rallying cry of the about two dozen pigeon proponents who staged a noontime protest in front of City Hall today criticizing Councilman Simcha Felder’s proposed legislation to ban pigeon feeding.

They carried signs with slogans like "Give pigeons their peace and "Have you known anybody killed by a pigeon?"  The pigeon proponents passionately defended the feral bird’s right to co-exist with humans in the city, holding it up as a symbol of nature in the urban wilderness.  "We are voices for the wildlife in New York City that we would like to preserve," said Naomi Semeiak, a demonstrator also works on banning horse carriages because it is an "evil industry."

Subject: The Office Party
FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
TO: Everyone
RE: Christmas Party
DATE: December 1
I'm happy to inform you that the company Christmas Party will take place on December 23, starting at noon in the banquet room at Luigi's Open Pit Barbecue. No-host bar, but plenty of eggnog! We'll have a small band playing traditional carols...feel free to sing along. And don't Be surprised if our CEO shows up dressed as Santa Claus!

FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
DATE: December 2
RE: Christmas Party
In no way was yesterday's memo intended to exclude our Jewish employees. We recognize that Hanukkah is an important holiday which often coincides with Christmas, though unfortunately not this year. However, from now on we're calling it our "Holiday Party." The same policy applies to employees who are celebrating Kwanzaa at this time.
Happy now?

 
FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
DATE: December 3
RE: Holiday Party
Regarding the note I received from a member of Alcoholics Anonymous requesting a non-drinking table ... you didn't sign your name. I'm happy to accommodate this request, but if I put a sign on a table that reads "AA Only" you wouldn't be anonymous anymore. How am I supposed to handle this? Somebody?

 
FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
DATE: December 7
RE: Holiday Party
What a diverse company we are! I had no idea that December 2 begins the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which forbids eating, drinking and sex during daylight hours. There goes the party! Seriously, we can appreciate how a luncheon this time of year does not accommodate our Muslim employees' beliefs. Perhaps Luigi's can hold off on serving your meal until the end of the party - the days are so short this time of year - or else package everything for take-home in little foil swans. Will that work? Meanwhile, I've arranged for members of Overeaters Anonymous to sit farthest from the dessert buffet and pregnant women will get the table closest to the restrooms. Did I miss anything?

FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
DATE: December 8
RE: Holiday Party
So December 22 marks the Winter Solstice...what do you expect me to do, a tap-dance on your heads? Fire regulations at Luigi's prohibit the burning of sage by our "earth-based Goddess-worshipping" employees, but we'll try to accommodate your shamanic drumming circle during the band's breaks. Okay???

 
FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
Date: December 9
RE: Holiday Party
People, people, nothing sinister was intended by having our CEO dress up like Santa Claus! Even if the anagram of "Santa" does happen to be "Satan," there is no evil connotation to our own "little man in a red suit." It's a tradition, folks, like sugar shock at Halloween or family feuds over the Thanksgiving turkey or broken hearts on Valentine's Day. Could we lighten up?

 
FROM: Pat Lewis, Human Resources Director
DATE: December 10
RE: Holiday Party
Vegetarians!?!?!? I've had it with you people!!! We're going to keep this party at Luigi's Open Pit Barbecue whether you like it or not, so you can sit quietly at the table furthest from the "grill of death," as you so quaintly put it, and you'll get your freaking salad bar, including hydroponic tomatoes. But you know, they have feelings too. Tomatoes scream when you slice them. I've heard them scream. I'm hearing them scream right now!

FROM: Teri Bishops, Acting Human Resources Director
DATE: December 14
RE: Pat Lewis and Holiday Party
I'm sure I speak for all of us in wishing Pat Lewis a speedy recovery from her stress-related illness and I'll continue to forward Your cards to her at the sanatorium.
In the meantime, management has decided to cancel our Holiday Party and give everyone the afternoon of the 23rd off with full pay.
We hope that this change does not offend anyone.

Gender Neutral Restrooms:  An increasing number of colleges are adding "gender neutral" bathrooms to new buildings and converting existing facilities in older ones.  According to Gender Public Advocacy Coalition, more than 140 schools now have gender neutral facilities on campus.  They group says that such restrooms are needed for students who do not neatly fit under a "male" or "female" label.  The movement has met with some opposition from conservative groups who believe the facilities normalize transgender and gender variant behavior.  (Chicago Tribune October 21, 2007 sec. 1 p. 4)

[from TIME online - find the article at:  http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1686828,00.html]

Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2007
Sunday School for Atheists
By Jeninne Lee-St. John / Palo Alto

On Sunday mornings, most parents who don't believe in the Christian God, or any god at all, are probably making brunch or cheering at their kids' soccer game, or running errands or, with luck, sleeping in. Without religion, there's no need for church, right?

Maybe. But some nonbelievers are beginning to think they might need something for their children. "When you have kids," says Julie Willey, a design engineer, "you start to notice that your co-workers or friends have church groups to help teach their kids values and to be able to lean on." So every week, Willey, who was raised Buddhist and says she has never believed in God, and her husband pack their four kids into their blue minivan and head to the Humanist Community Center in Palo Alto, Calif., for atheist Sunday school.

Briton Charged With Insulting Islam in Sudan
The New York Times

By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN

Published: November 29, 2007

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov. 28 — The Sudanese government decided Wednesday to charge a British primary school teacher with blasphemy, inciting hatred and insulting Islam after she allowed her 7-year-old students to name a class teddy bear Muhammad.  If found guilty, the teacher, Gillian Gibbons, who taught at one of Sudan’s most exclusive private schools, could be sentenced to six months in jail and 40 lashes.  "She will be brought in front of a judge, and now she must prove her innocence," said Rabie A. Atti, a government spokesman.

Come Celebrate the Holiday Season!
What is it: Yule/Christmas Party brought to you by the Pagan Student Association
Where: NKU University Center Ballroom
When: Sunday, December 2nd. 1p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
There will be crafts, decorating the tree, food (potluck), games, and a white elephant gift exchange.
There will also be a voluntary group ritual near the end of the party to celebrate the season.
Come and enjoy the holidays with us!

Celebration of Kwanzaa
Join us as we celebrate the seven principles of Kwanzaa
December 5, 2007
Otto Budig Theater – University Center
12:15pm-1:30pm
Sponsored by African American Student Affairs
 

Read the Dartmouth Review article carefully.  Interesting, is it not, which religions many universities are willing to promote officially, and which are simply tolerated.