May you all have a wonderful day tomorrow, one filled with light, love, and laughter. If tomorrow's Christmas for you, merry Christmas; if 'tis but a well-deserved day of rest, rest well.
Now, here's a wee quiz for ye to while away a few minutes: It's a common seven-letter word. Rich people don't have it, the poor have little else but; it's more evil than Satan, more powerful than God (or the gods, if ye're polytheistic), and existed before the gods. What is it? the answer in a few days. If ye think ye ken, please post your guess here.
The Auld Scot
24 December 2005
22 December 2005
A short trip to the Dark Side
Forgive me, my friends, for I have sinned. It has been, ohhh, at least a week or twa since my last post. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea freakin' culpa.
I've read a (very) few blogs and understand them to be sort of online journals. Well, I happen to be a journalist - in both the sense of keeping a personal journal and of being a member of the press. I like to write, especially in me journal. I can write anything and be censored only by meself. The problem comes in writing in this electronic journal. Here, y'see, my censors are legion, to steal a phrase.
Time, too, is a problem; at least with the job I have now, although that may soon not be a factor. Yes, I'm in danger of losing my job - right in time for the holidays, thankyouverymuch. I'll get into some details of that sad tale in a bit. For now, I'm on another track, so bear with me.
My journal, y'see, is highly personal -- part diary wherein I lambaste those who dare to anger me or indulge in some of the greatest self-pity mankind has ever seen. I could - and should - win an Oscar for the pity I bestow upon myself. Anyway, I've found it takes a great deal of courage to open this particular onion to public eyes.
I probably will, in time, but it'll be a bit slow in coming.
Okay, the part I'm sure you all have waiting for: my job woes. Well, to those of you who don't know, I work as a phlebotomist for the local blood bank, legally known as the Community Blood Center of Greater Kansas City, Inc.
I've worked there for going on 2-1/2 years now. I've come to realize that this position is all I'll ever be allowed to obtain. For some reason (I have plenty of ideas about those, but no proof), I will never be promoted, but will always be relegated to phlebotomist status.
Well, the other day, I was called into the overseer's (oops, I mean manager's) office. Seems they think I'm just not fast enough in performing my duties. Of course, they've thought this since I began, but never give any specific or precise data to support their acusations. I was asked to sign this document wherein I was informed that I would improve my speed within an idefinite period of time or face further disciplinary action. The last paragraph of the Employee Acknowledgement section said that I understand I am in serious trouble and in jeopardy of losing my job.
Ya know, I find this both threatening and downright offensive. I told the manager so, too. I also, with the utmost respect, told him that I could not, in all good conscience, sign that document. I was offended by the threatening tone of the last paragraph and simply could not legitimize it by signing. Now, he just shrugged and countersigned that I refused to sign and why.
My peril comes from his boss: a man-hating virago whose greatest joy in life is hurting people with her power. She has fired people for looking at her wrong (oh, she has other "reasons," of course). So, she's the one I must now deal with. Guess I'll see in a day or twa, huh?
It's not so bad if I do get fired. For one thing, I was looking for a job when I found that one. For another, I'll simply sit back and collect unemployment. And for yet another, my very first stop afterwards will be to the ACLU.
Ain't life frickin' grand?
The Auld Scot
I've read a (very) few blogs and understand them to be sort of online journals. Well, I happen to be a journalist - in both the sense of keeping a personal journal and of being a member of the press. I like to write, especially in me journal. I can write anything and be censored only by meself. The problem comes in writing in this electronic journal. Here, y'see, my censors are legion, to steal a phrase.
Time, too, is a problem; at least with the job I have now, although that may soon not be a factor. Yes, I'm in danger of losing my job - right in time for the holidays, thankyouverymuch. I'll get into some details of that sad tale in a bit. For now, I'm on another track, so bear with me.
My journal, y'see, is highly personal -- part diary wherein I lambaste those who dare to anger me or indulge in some of the greatest self-pity mankind has ever seen. I could - and should - win an Oscar for the pity I bestow upon myself. Anyway, I've found it takes a great deal of courage to open this particular onion to public eyes.
I probably will, in time, but it'll be a bit slow in coming.
Okay, the part I'm sure you all have waiting for: my job woes.
I've worked there for going on 2-1/2 years now. I've come to realize that this position is all I'll ever be allowed to obtain. For some reason (I have plenty of ideas about those, but no proof), I will never be promoted, but will always be relegated to phlebotomist status.
Well, the other day, I was called into the overseer's (oops, I mean manager's) office. Seems they think I'm just not fast enough in performing my duties. Of course, they've thought this since I began, but never give any specific or precise data to support their acusations. I was asked to sign this document wherein I was informed that I would improve my speed within an idefinite period of time or face further disciplinary action. The last paragraph of the Employee Acknowledgement section said that I understand I am in serious trouble and in jeopardy of losing my job.
Ya know, I find this both threatening and downright offensive. I told the manager so, too. I also, with the utmost respect, told him that I could not, in all good conscience, sign that document. I was offended by the threatening tone of the last paragraph and simply could not legitimize it by signing. Now, he just shrugged and countersigned that I refused to sign and why.
My peril comes from his boss: a man-hating virago whose greatest joy in life is hurting people with her power. She has fired people for looking at her wrong (oh, she has other "reasons," of course). So, she's the one I must now deal with. Guess I'll see in a day or twa, huh?
It's not so bad if I do get fired. For one thing, I was looking for a job when I found that one. For another, I'll simply sit back and collect unemployment. And for yet another, my very first stop afterwards will be to the ACLU.
Ain't life frickin' grand?
The Auld Scot
02 December 2005
Thanks and a thought
First, thank you to all of you for your encouraging comments. I deeply appreciate them.
A most painful thing happened to me today: I had a thought. Oh, I know, you might be thinking, "Oh, it's probably just gas," but I've had gas before and I'm fairly certain this was a thought. One thing I know is that it hurt like hel.
Y'see, I read a followup story in today's paper about Paul Mirecki, a Religious Studies professor at the University of Kansas. Dr. Mirecki had developed a course for the school for the coming semester titled "“Special Topics in Religion: Intelligent Design, Creationism and Other Religious Mythologies.” Well, this course drew the ire of members of Kansas' Religious Reich, who objected to Dr. Mirecki's use of the word "mythologies" to describe a course that would describe its sacred cow, Intelligent Design. Seems that's just trompling on sacred ground there, and must not be allowed.
Oh, yeah, Dr. Mirecki also wrote a few emails -- private emails, at that -- to a web-based discussion board for stuent atheists and other free-thinkers, KU Society of Open-Minded Atheists and Agnostics. Some Reich members saw the emails and went berserk.
Now, Dr Mirecki isn't just your run-of-the-mill koledge teechr. Nope, he's a bona-fide Doctor of Theology and a Harvard graduate. And he's not just any old RS teacher. He's the head of KU's Religious Studies Department, and has been teaching at KU since 1989.
As I said, he pissed off the Religious Reich with the course's title in the first place, and his emailed -- and private -- opinions about Intelligent Design, the latest nonsense foisted on the folk of Kansas by the Christian fundies. They, of course, raised a ruckus that resulted in Dr. Mirecki's apologizing and removing the M word from his course's title.
That not being enough to salve the wounded egos of Reich members, he then pulled the course entirely, no doubt frustrating and disappointing the 25 or so students who had already signed up for the course.
Well, that still wasn't good enough. In the true spirit of the Burning Times, the good folk of the Religious Reich are now demanding that every course offered by the university -- that's right, the entire curriculum -- be investigated so as to root out anything of which they don't approve.
Ya know, I thought the First Amendment was universal, that it applies to all points of view and not just those of which we agree. I mean, the meanest, most bigoted redneck has every bit as much right to voice his opinions as the rest of us, regardless of how repugnant, stupid, evil, or just plain absurd others of us may think. Yes, the rest of us have the right to refute said redneck's ideas, but not -- NEVER -- to prevent him from spouting his vitriole.
I guess I was wrong. It seems the Amendment really means we all have a right to speak our opinions so long as some particular group approves of that opinion. It's not just the religious fundies who seem to think this way either. Just look at our beloved preznit, ol' Dubya his own self -- if you say anything to disagree with him, why you, sir, simply aren't a "real Amurican." Y'see, that's what the Christian fundies and their cohorts really want -- to censor the rest of us and ensure we think just like they. Oh, they'll yammer about only wanting to save our immortal souls and just spread their god's word, but their base agenda is total control, just like their brethren in the Middle East. My soul, at least, doesn't need saving; it's in no trouble at all, thank you very much, and I just don't believe in their god -- I'm perfectly content with my own.
I lost a lot of close friends and brothers in the Vietnamese jungles and I can assure you not a one of them fought and died so these fruitcakes could destroy the most fundamental Amendment to our Constitution. Not a one, and I doubt that any of the over 43,000 young people who died there did either.
Well, folks, that's my rant for today. If the fundies have their way, this will also be my last. My next address will no doubt be Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, or some nameless prison in eastern Europe.
Protect the First!
A most painful thing happened to me today: I had a thought. Oh, I know, you might be thinking, "Oh, it's probably just gas," but I've had gas before and I'm fairly certain this was a thought. One thing I know is that it hurt like hel.
Y'see, I read a followup story in today's paper about Paul Mirecki, a Religious Studies professor at the University of Kansas. Dr. Mirecki had developed a course for the school for the coming semester titled "“Special Topics in Religion: Intelligent Design, Creationism and Other Religious Mythologies.” Well, this course drew the ire of members of Kansas' Religious Reich, who objected to Dr. Mirecki's use of the word "mythologies" to describe a course that would describe its sacred cow, Intelligent Design. Seems that's just trompling on sacred ground there, and must not be allowed.
Oh, yeah, Dr. Mirecki also wrote a few emails -- private emails, at that -- to a web-based discussion board for stuent atheists and other free-thinkers, KU Society of Open-Minded Atheists and Agnostics. Some Reich members saw the emails and went berserk.
Now, Dr Mirecki isn't just your run-of-the-mill koledge teechr. Nope, he's a bona-fide Doctor of Theology and a Harvard graduate. And he's not just any old RS teacher. He's the head of KU's Religious Studies Department, and has been teaching at KU since 1989.
As I said, he pissed off the Religious Reich with the course's title in the first place, and his emailed -- and private -- opinions about Intelligent Design, the latest nonsense foisted on the folk of Kansas by the Christian fundies. They, of course, raised a ruckus that resulted in Dr. Mirecki's apologizing and removing the M word from his course's title.
That not being enough to salve the wounded egos of Reich members, he then pulled the course entirely, no doubt frustrating and disappointing the 25 or so students who had already signed up for the course.
Well, that still wasn't good enough. In the true spirit of the Burning Times, the good folk of the Religious Reich are now demanding that every course offered by the university -- that's right, the entire curriculum -- be investigated so as to root out anything of which they don't approve.
Ya know, I thought the First Amendment was universal, that it applies to all points of view and not just those of which we agree. I mean, the meanest, most bigoted redneck has every bit as much right to voice his opinions as the rest of us, regardless of how repugnant, stupid, evil, or just plain absurd others of us may think. Yes, the rest of us have the right to refute said redneck's ideas, but not -- NEVER -- to prevent him from spouting his vitriole.
I guess I was wrong. It seems the Amendment really means we all have a right to speak our opinions so long as some particular group approves of that opinion. It's not just the religious fundies who seem to think this way either. Just look at our beloved preznit, ol' Dubya his own self -- if you say anything to disagree with him, why you, sir, simply aren't a "real Amurican." Y'see, that's what the Christian fundies and their cohorts really want -- to censor the rest of us and ensure we think just like they. Oh, they'll yammer about only wanting to save our immortal souls and just spread their god's word, but their base agenda is total control, just like their brethren in the Middle East. My soul, at least, doesn't need saving; it's in no trouble at all, thank you very much, and I just don't believe in their god -- I'm perfectly content with my own.
I lost a lot of close friends and brothers in the Vietnamese jungles and I can assure you not a one of them fought and died so these fruitcakes could destroy the most fundamental Amendment to our Constitution. Not a one, and I doubt that any of the over 43,000 young people who died there did either.
Well, folks, that's my rant for today. If the fundies have their way, this will also be my last. My next address will no doubt be Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, or some nameless prison in eastern Europe.
Protect the First!
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