Monday, October 16, 2006

TAKE FIVE...
With the ZenFo Pro

- 5. -

I'm a dork.

Proud of it, in fact. I watch tons of sci-fi and horror flicks. I have obscure musical tastes. I read comic books and graphic novels. According to my transcripts, I'm the proud owner of a combined 48 undergraduate credit hours in cosmology, physics, calculus, and biology - most of which I took for fun.

How dorky, exactly?

I've spent portions of the last ten days watching the entire seventh season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine...

Twice.

- 4. -

The most exciting things I learned last week:

Sub-Saharan African nations are getting ready to launch one of the largest multinational information infrastructure projects in the history of the Developing World. A faculty member at Washington's prestigious I-School earned some much needed press for the fact that, yeah, the tools used to measure information poverty levels need to be recalibrated to reflect the Real World. Moyers on America has an episode dedicated to Net Neutrality, the digital divide, and the Ownership of cyberspace.

Most depressing things I learned last week:

A group of students told me, point-blank, that they'd never heard of this digital divide thing, that they always figured somebody like Bono would just buy the Developing World iPods and laptops, and that, well, I'd be more cute if I didn't talk so much about all those poor people. (Too depressing.)

- 3. -

Don't even get me started on the Material Girl's latest mid-life crisis.

Who the fuck adopts a kid, then leaves the child with their "entourage?" Damn straight there are people in Malawi seeking to halt the adoption. Seriously, Africa is not "Baby-Mart for Rich White American Entertainers Who Feel Guilty for Living Like Gods While the Developing World Starves."


- 2. -

Political Commentary of the Month, based on a Conversation with one of those pesky Over-the-Top Ivory Tower Academics, the kind of prof who has no problem blending their political views with their syllibi into something more important than, well, teaching what they're paid to teach (and who apparently has no problem insulting students who dare to challenge them):

//:-------BEGIN RANT --------://

So North Korea may or may not have the Bomb. Either way, they now have the UN sanctions to show for it. Iran's not backing down, either.

We're in a position now where the world probably wouldn't mind seeing the U.S. threaten the Bullies of Pyongyang - but we can't. Tehran will eventually require some sort of military threat - but we don't have the manpower.

Axis of Evil? Sure sounded nice when some speechwriter watched too many Justice League cartoons and coined the phrase. How is it that of the three members of that Axis, we somehow invaded the one nation without the potential to one day be able to turn major cities into radioactive wastelands?

Since the end of the Cold War, the American Public has been quite content to sit by while brutal dictators committed everything from genocide to the suppression of democracy, content to grow fat and lazy, in peaceful, self-imposed ignorance.

That time is over. Welcome to the Real World.

The Far Right deserves some of the blame, sure. Six years of worthless chickenhawk rhetoric has taught Joe Sixpack a valuable lesson. But don't be fooled into thinking that Joe Sixpack is ready to jump into bed with an equally menacing chickenshit Far Left. America - and the world - needs leadership willing to make tough choices, willing to build consensus, dedicated to making the world a better place.

Ideology is irrelevant, in the end, when a nation's leaders command respect simply by being something more than politicians who say anything to get their side to vote their way.

North Korea may have the Bomb. Iran will probably be next.

And if you're not terrified yet, maybe it's time to put down the crackpipe.

//:-------END RANT --------://


- 1. -

Speaking of clusterfucks...

After discovering that a few colleagues and readers were a bit uneasy with the subject matter of the previous post, I figure I'd better offer a bit of clarification...
  • The young woman in question is not a local woman, nor a student of the Local U. or any other U. for that matter. She is, however, someone's daughter and sister. If it were your daughter or sister, wife or lover, I seriously doubt anyone would bother questioning my involvement.
  • The person in question is not a patron of my library and has never visited my library. The incident did not happen at work. Patron refers to any customer of an information resource - in this case, my patron was someone I was once paid to tutor (in rabbit and venison, because the family couldn't afford to pay cash and refused to let me work for free.)
  • There is nothing romantic about violence and I don't wish to glamourize it any more than I already have. But there is nothing wrong in one defending him/herself- or others - if one has the ability to halt certain actions.
  • If you're a librarian and you're offended by my vulgarity and my critique of the profession, please don't IM me about it. I could really care less. For every "shame on you" IM I've received from library folk, I've received five or six from college students, parents, and victims of domestic violence. Please feel free, if you must, to shove that into your next PowerPoint presentation.
  • I even had a very sweet patron/reader pull me aside Sunday afternoon, tell me her story, of how she once took advantage of my library's late evening hours to hide and eventually escape from a violent ex. She offered me a hug. That was the highlight of my career as a librarian, to date. If you're the kind of librarian who thinks being a human being is somehow secondary to whatever it says in your job description, well, please feel free to visit Oxford Fucking Ohio. I'd love the opportunity to tell you, face-to-face, where you can shove that.
# # #

14 comments:

Cat. said...

I'm so annoyed at stupid, PC librarians with no spines who can't step outside their own fearfulness and face reality: mean people suck, and sometimes the only way to make a point is to speak the language of the mean person in question.

And, veering wildly in another direction, have you read the Philip Pullmann trilogy "His Dark Materials"?

HuneeB said...

Lol really readers don't know what patron means?

Oh WOW a treke geek! I would have never guessed!

Well while I don't think that violence solves violence I have also been witness to domestic violence in more than one case, more than one family member, in my immediate family alone, so I understand. If I ever hear that my sister's lame ass bf ever lays a finger on her don't think I won't drive the 5 hours with my trusty metal homerunner in tow to beat the shit out of him...either that or make some phone calls.

I have seen far too many women beat on in my life and noone has a right to do that to another person man or woman. God help the man that ever dares to lay a finger on me, boy would he be in store for some serious hell, in more ways than one...

I really hope that along with what you did you encouraged the woman to file police reports or at the very least TAKE PICTURES! Involving the police can cause some temp issues with the other person but it is VERY VERY VERY important to get this documented for her future and his. This will follow him/her around should he/she decide to hit on another innocent person. Along with many other reasons it is very important!! Justice is nice and all but most likely he will be to embarassed to report you Jason, but the woman should report him.

I've seen many women feel ashamed to be hit and somehow like it is their fault but this is so far from the truth... pass that on. :)

There is that "hero" again ;) ... (jk)

Anonymous said...

Wow, too much.

Yea you know it isn't going to matter to them one but if it's not a member of their elite circle.

Anonymous said...

WOW. where to start!!
1 - DS9 is possibly the greatest Star Trek ever. Warf is just the coolest, and how big a dork am I now?

2 - madonna probably should have never spawned, let alone adopt. heh.

3 - Korea = the big bad. Obviously not enough Buffy watchers out there, because we all got that.

4 - found your last post really well writen, especially for being so.. um. un-sober. hehe.

my appologies for not stopping in again for so long. Rather hectic few weeks since I saw you at Sars!!

The ZenFo Pro said...

Anomie:
I'llhave to check those out when I get some time. Not too big of a novel reader, but I have been known to read a Harry Turtledove alt. history every now and then ;)

Cat.:
Lol, veer away :)

Yeah, the PCness of the Library World just blows me away sometimes. And the almost transparent fakeness of it all...Lord. Yup, it's easy to judge others from the bleachers.

Hunee:
While I can't discuss many of the details for obvious reasons, I guess it's fair to say that I've intentionally left quite a few details out. Let's just say that quite a few things tend to fall through the cracks in small college towns and, well, there are certain situations where certain official channels cease to be affective, esp. for the rural poor. If this person came from a family that, well, hadn't been burned severely by the system...

You are right, though. There are better ways to go about these sorts of things. But as Cat points out, yeah, sometimes mean people need to meet someone more cold-blooded than they are. No need for documentation, though. Seriously doubt the perp is finished with this one. Being someone very good at stacking the holistic deck in his favor with these types of situations, I'm certain there will be no further contact. I'm an expert in handling this type of petty thug, and there's just as much to be said for gathering enough damaging intel beforehand.

I'd explain further, but, lol...there are things from my background that are not for electronic communication...lol, sorry for being so cryptic :)

Alice:
Um...???

Not sure which elite circle you're talking about? Politicos, librarians, celebrities, or hoodlums? ;)

Xmichra:
Lol, no worries. I've been a lousy blog neighbor all month, so no worries :)

Yep, I LOVE DS9...it gets better with age, too, especially Seasons 4-7. I can watch it for days on end - probably the most realistic portrayal of humanity in any ST. I mean, hell, the Federation attempts genocide, there's religious fundamentalism, backbiting, and, well, the development of entire societies. And, yeah, Worf kicks ass.

Madonna...lord (er...lourdes), should probably take a few parenting courses, that's for sure. So she can financially provide more for the kid; there's a lot to be said from post-adoption bonding and emotional development.

Korea = get the reference :)

And, lol, yeah it was rather well-written. When I...um...discovered that I'd actually posted the next morning, I was shocked by the lack of major editing required ;)

Cat. said...

I'm laughing: elite circle of hoodlums...what a mental picture! Wait, though: aren't those the same people in the circle of politicians? :-\

Deb Sistrunk Nelson said...

You watched the seventh season of DS9 - twice?? A man after my own heart!

When you're not getting into trouble with women, you write fascinating stuff. When you aregetting into trouble with women, you write even more fascinating stuff!!

A group of students told you that they had never heard of the digital divide? Are you serious?? Yeah, that's depressing, but your post rocks.

Thanks for the update on the African nations. The digital divide issue is a topic I'm following.

BTW, I read you more often than you realize. I probably should leave more comments.

Got to go now and search for that DS9 DVD! That series was awesome. Maybe you can devote an entire post to the redeeming social value of the show. Just make sure you include photos of the love of my life, Worf. :-)

Anonymous said...

Yeah... the whole Madonna thing has my mind a little boggled.... To think just because one has money... more money than most... one can get whatever they want. I agree, the children need homes... but one needs to go the right way in getting the child.

Also... the whole Star Trek thing... my hubby is a "Star Trek Geek and Star Wars Geek"... :)

Anonymous said...

Yeah good to be a nerd soetimes. Its actually one of your more charming qualities. smart and sexy is never a bad thing. calculus...ugh

~ Stacy

Smurf said...

Poor J. You always seem to be appologizing for this or that. You are seriously treated like some celeb. Hmm... are you? ;) J/K

someone actually told you that you would be cuter if you didn't talk about such things? Wow. Hmm... shall I say ... "Shallow?" You are much too deep to really ever date someone for any period of time that doesn't have some intelligence and care about more than the color of her finger polish or the times of the next sale at Gap. Anyways... I think its so funny you call your love of Star Trek part of what makes you a dork... hmm... lol... They can be interesting. My ex husband adored ST the next generation... I watched it some... I also like Voyager. But its interesting.

Miz BoheMia said...

I am part Iranian and can tell you that Iranians are no fools, they are great at fucking with you and messing with you and playing dumb only to fuck you over when they can and that is what the assholes in charge are doing with the world... a bad Iranian is a total motherfucker... I have it in me to be but choose not to and my grandma is an example of a small time danger... not that politics should be based on that but knowing the mentality of the people, when it goes wrong, and having a Loverboy who gets his news fresh from the country I can say that attacking Iraq and Afghanistan were totally off track but an attack on Iran would have been the wise thing to do... but now we are too deep in muck for anything and the Europeans, my other half, are too greedy for oil to want to get serious with Iran and so yeah, I am scared...

You cannot be a dork. A dork is a whale penis and they normally are 10 feet long.

ziggystardust73 said...

Madonna can suck my balls.

That woman needs a bullet.

oh, and I find dorks really, really attractive.

I hate that you're straight.

:-)

Anonymous said...

Wow Jason your comemnts are becoming almost as interesting as your very very interest8hg posts

Was going to say something in Madonna's defense but couldn't think of anything

Your last paragraph says more about you than a thousand posts can. And had something specific to say about soemthing but my brain is mold frazzled.

Liz said...

Thanks for pointing out the Madonna thing. Personally, I don't really understand adopting because it's trendy but I see it happening.