Tuesday, October 31, 2006

 

Carly Still Not Getting Respect

HP's ex-chief executive comes to her own defense - Los Angeles Times: "HP's embarrassing sideshow lately probably proves her right. But it's also clear from Fiorina's book, and in talking to her, that she didn't read her directors very well and had blinders on too long. She also seemed to put way too much faith in management systems and processes to fix the board dysfunction, as if kumbaya was just one PowerPoint presentation away.
She believed HP's board could repair itself, needed operational CEOs in lieu of technology people and praised '360-degree feedback,' a management technique that would have had directors hold a mirror to themselves.
But would it have helped? In describing her childhood, middle child Fiorina says that she was the diplomat of her family, intervening in arguments, listening to both sides, and trying to strike compromises. Likewise, she still believes she could have done the same thing with her board, if only they had the resolve for self-examination. And it might have saved her job.
'People thought that's not a good use of time — it's beneath us,' she said. 'We should be talking about technology, not board dynamics. It's what should have happened and it still hasn't happened, apparently.'"

I think Mr. Bates is seriously misguided. She is not a campfire sort. She is sharp, driven and not seemingly so worried about everyone getting along as she is about things being done correctly. I think she read the directors quite well. She was never charmed by them, but did what she felt was right for the company. They never really supported her, but that doesn't mean she read them wrong. The suggestion here is that she is still to blame for their poor behavior. I think it is wise to lie blame at the doorstep of the directors themselves and not at the very accomplished leader that they never appreciated.

Sunday, October 29, 2006

 

A Mistake: 'Studio 60’ Cancellation Iminent

FOXNews.com - 'Studio 60’ Cancellation Iminent - Celebrity Gossip Entertainment News Arts And Entertainment: "Sorkin and friends will argue that NBC has done something wrong, or that the audience isn’t smart enough. Alas, in this case, neither is true. 'Studio 60'—as I wrote on August 7th after viewing the pilot—is just a bad show. There’s nothing wrong with the acting, directing, or dialogue writing. But the premise is faulty. No one cares whether a bunch of over caffeinated, well off yuppies, some with expensive drug habits, put on a weekly comedy sketch show from Los Angeles.
Even worse: no one cares whether or not the people from the Bartlett White House puts on a comedy show. That’s what 'Studio 60' is, essentially: the 'West Wing' annual talent show. There’s so much earnestness involved in this endeavour, you start to think that nuclear war will be declared if the 'Studio 60' staff doesn’t air some joke—usually one we don’t hear anyway. The whole thing just feels weighted down and frankly, not entertaining."

This review could not be more wrong. This is actually a good show. It is a really good show. It does have the same timing as West Wing. That was what we loved about West Wing. It is funny. We do care what happens to the characters. This review is just aggravating. Sorkin, whether or not you agree with him, is a genius. There isn't another writer on television or the movies who can get my attention like him, with the possible exception of the writer of, I think, a two part drama on HBO a couple of years ago. That was genius as well. NBC would be making a huge mistake by not letting this show gain its audience and come into its own as a favorite. I hope his information is wrong! Ugh!

Thursday, October 26, 2006

 

Time to Evolve

Outrage as Muslim cleric likens women to 'uncovered meat' the Daily Mail: "In a Ramadam sermon in a Sydney mosque, Sheik al-Hilali suggested that a group of Muslim men recently jailed for many years for gang rapes were not entirely to blame.
There were women, he said, who 'sway suggestively' and wore make-up and immodest dress 'and then you get a judge without mercy and gives you 65 years. But the problem, but the problem all began with who?' he said, referring to the women victims.
Addressing 500 worshippers on the topic of adultery, Sheik al-Hilali added: 'If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside on the street, or in the garden or in the park, or in the backyard without a cover, and the cats come and eat it..whose fault is it - the cats or the uncovered meat?
'The uncovered meat is the problem.'
He went on: 'If she was in her room, in her home, in her hijab (veil), no problem would have occurred.'"

With the ideals of freedom, this idiot is allowed to say these things and the rest of the world is allowed to respond. People should know that rape has nothing to do with swaying or uncovered flesh. Gang rapes really have nothing to do with that. To say that women should be in their "room" is so far beyond the pale as to not to be taken seriously. All of this is that way. He thinks the judge should have had mercy on these guys. Mercy? Clearly said by a man who doesn't have to live the rest of his life after that kind of violence. He went on to say that women "were weapons used by Satan to control men". That is hysterical. Many of the rest of us have experienced a social and emotional evolution that this iman, by virtue of his religion, has not been allowed to experience.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

 

Limbaugh Tasteless

WLWT.com - Commitment 2006 - Limbaugh: Michael J. Fox's Parkinson's 'Acting': "Conservative radio commentator Rush Limbaugh has claimed Fox was 'either off his medication or acting.'
Limbaugh called Fox's shaking 'shameless' and said it's obviously an act."

Limbaugh has just no concept of this disease, and no business commenting on it, especially in this way. He should just be glad that he does not suffer from it. I don't see him apologizing, but we should all see this for what it was...extreme bad taste.

 

Junior Achievement

Students score high in the art of free enterprise - Los Angeles Times: "Junior Achievement, founded in 1919, is the grizzled veteran of the kid-trepreneur business.
Last year, the nonprofit Junior Achievement trained more than 7 million students worldwide in the value of free enterprise. The curriculum, which starts in elementary school, emphasizes financial literacy, career-development skills and how to organize and run student-powered businesses.
This school year, its Southern California chapter is launching a project to curb the dropout rate among Latino high school students. Modeled after a program launched in Georgia a few years ago, the Latino initiative will recruit local Latino business professionals to serve as role models and work with students."

Junior Achievement is a great organization. I was involved with their student programs when I was in high school. I took their economics class, did their after-school entrepreneurship program, was awarded attendance to their International Student Forum twice, and was awarded a college scholarship for my involvement. Though I was unable to use their scholarship, the experiences that I had in the many hours with JA-associated activities were without question some of the best experiences I had in my high school years. Not being the greatest of students, JA gave me a place where I could think, work hard, and excel. If readers are looking for a place to contribute money, this is one of many very valuable organizations that should get a look.

 

Oppose Ford's Opposition

Ford camp's answers vary on Playboy party - Nashville, Tennessee - Tuesday, 10/24/06 - Tennessean.com: "Tuesday, 10/24/06
The way Republicans like to tell it, Harold Ford Jr. partied with Playboy playmates at a Super Bowl Party last year.
So, was he there or not?
Responses from the Memphis Democrat and his campaign have varied:
His campaign, when asked Monday, said the war in Iraq, not Playboy parties, is what reporters should be inquiring about in the U.S. Senate race.
Then, later in the day, campaign adviser Michael Powell said, 'Consider the source. It was in a gossip column.'
In Ford's own words, he told interviewer George Stephan-
opoulos a couple of Sundays ago, 'I've never been to a Playboy mansion party.'
In a September interview on WVLZ-AM in East Tennessee, Ford was asked by a listener about the party and he said, 'Yeah, when I was at the Super Bowl one year, I believe I was at a party that, that Hugh Hefner or somebody from Playboy may have been at. … I was at a party where I learned later … that Hugh Hefner may have been there.' A transcript of the interview on The Voice radio show was released by the Tennessee Republican Party.
Two commercials by national Republican groups have raised questions about Ford's moral values by mentioning his partying lifestyle, both citing a Feb. 8, 2005, article in Roll Call, a congressional newspaper on Capitol Hill.
In it, writer Mary Ann Akers reported that Ford 'was spotted at the Playboy Super Bowl party in Jacksonville, Fla. … chock full of scantily clad bunnies.'"

First of all, Ford is a smart guy. Second, he is single. Third, there are many worse things to be concerned with than whether he hung out with lingerie ladies. I hate that they are playing the race card (the commercial that has a white woman saying she met him at a Playboy party). That really appeals to the very worst in these Southerners. I was born in Tennessee, and I just hate the idea that people from that state can be manipulated by such disgusting, base , and racist commercials. We should be supporting Harold Ford for his ability, desire and history of actually thinking through issues. Now, we should support him more vigorously to combat his opponent's backward political approach.

Thursday, October 19, 2006

 

Another Priest Who Just Doesn't Get It

Priest acknowledges Foley relationship - Politics - MSNBC.com: "Mercieca said he taught Foley 'some wrong things' related to sex, though he wouldn't specify what he meant, the newspaper said. It reported the priest said that at the time, he considered the relationship innocent, but he now says he could see how his actions could be called inappropriate.
Mercieca said although Foley plans to 'expose him to the world,' he still has 'great memories of our trips,' the newspaper reported.
'I wish him well,' Mercieca said. 'Let bygones be bygones.'
No accusations elsewhere
Mercieca was adamant that his encounter with Foley was an aberration, and that the Catholic Church never had to send him for counseling during his 38 years in the priesthood in Florida, according to the newspaper.
'I have been in many parishes, and I have never been' accused, he said.
A Web site for the Diocese of Gozo lists Mercieca as one of its priests. Joseph Calleja, a priest with the diocese, said Mercieca is still an active priest but that he lives at his own home. Gozo, a Mediterranean island, is part of the Republic of Malta."

Oh what to say about this one..
Let bygones be bygones? Is this some kind of sick joke? We say that if a white lie was told, not when you abuse little boys while in a position of power. I don't even know what would cause a person to say that. He does not understand the gravity of his behavior, clearly. Did he think this was a way of apologizing, because in any language, it sounds like an "oh well"!
And to say that the Catholic Church never sent him to counseling in his 38 years is not a very good defense either. The Catholic Church is well known for not handling this well, and all but supporting the behavior.
Innocent...He thought the relationship was innocent? Massaging a naked 13 year old is innocent? What planet is this idiot on?
Taught him some wrong things about sex? Some wrong things? I mean, this is just a disaster. A priest doing any hands-on teaching about sex is not something that could be called inappropriate. It is sick, disgusting and criminal! It is really important that the new Pope stand up, say we handled this incorrectly, that he handled it incorrectly, and that it is far more than inappropriate. He also needs to say that the Church will now begin turning in any priest accused of abuse to the authorities for full investigation and, if needed, prosecution. Anything less than that policy and its follow-through should be criminal for the Church leadership.

Monday, October 09, 2006

 

Poor Little Pedophiles?

WLWT.com - Family - Priests Raise Money For Sexual Abusers: "A group of priests in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester in New Hampshire is asking fellow priests to contribute money to help those who were stripped of their ministry for sexually abusing minors."

While they attempt to say that this is not to diminish the pain of the abused, I would argue that the history of covering up and now the overt concern for the priests says otherwise. I cannot and will not ever get over this, and now they are fueling my dislike of nearly everything they stand for. It seems as if what they stand for is support of abuse. They should know better.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

 

Yep, This is Funny

Khameini: Don't masturbate during Ramadan - News from Israel, Ynetnews: "Khameini, who is Iran's most powerful political and religious figure, was asked on his website : 'If somebody masturbates during the month of Ramadan but without any discharge, is his fasting invalidated?'
'If he do not intend masturbation and discharging semen and nothing is discharged, his fasting is correct even though he has done a ḥarām (forbidden) act. But, if he intends masturbation or he knows that he usually discharges semen by this process and semen really comes out, it is a ḥaram intentional breaking fasting,' the Iranian leader said, posting the reply on his website"

No matter which way you slice it, this is funny. First of all, did anyone notice that the Iranian Supreme Leader has a website? Isn't the web for all of us sinners of the West? Second, the Supreme leader takes questions. To me, funny. Lastly, it seems there is such a thing as accidental masturbation. Again, funny.

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